Legal Briefs
by paramorebrighter
Summary: AH/AU: Bella Swan is a penniless law student without a prospective job when a million-dollar case falls in her lap- only to be pursued by the evil Volturi Investment Group. Can she save little Heath Standish? Resposted.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

I shifted from foot to foot as I watched the well to do kids at my law school bustle around the office as they waited impatiently for the posting of their grades. My feet throbbed from the worn out soles of my Payless pumps and I spied yet another run in my pantyhose. I sighed. There would be no replacing them anytime soon. I discovered very early on that I was the enemy here and no one would give me their seat, not even the men. Chivalry is indeed dead, at least in the hallowed halls of Washington-Tacoma law school.

_This is it,_ I thought crankily,_ third year and I'm still the only one without a job offer or fabulous internship._ I had dragged my ass through four years of undergrad and three years of law school. Despite my scholarships I had student loans I would probably be paying with my social security check when I was 100, and through it all I held down a job at Toot's, the local Hooter's rip off, I'm sure every town had one and this was ours. I reluctantly wore the obligatory short black shorts, tight white t-shirts and heavy eye make up for the tips, although it was touted as a 'family' restaurant there was still the necessity to hire bouncers. The humiliation was sometimes worth the trouble, especially when it came to paying my rent. I had had a job until about three weeks ago, but the small law firm that had offered me a job after graduation had been bought out by one of the largest firms in the country Viking, Foyle, and Hamerow, LLP. Being the "people's law firm" they were, I found out I was jobless in the form of a letter stating that I wasn't to expect a job with their firm when I left law school.

Yes, I had sat home and cried, felt sorry for myself for a while, but then I called my dad. Charlie patiently listened to me complain and cry for a few minutes before he laid down the law.

"Bells, this is the real world. I can't bail you out," he said. "I'll help you all I can, but honey you're going to have to find your way on your own. You're not a child any more."

"I know dad," I said. Charlie allowed me some time to cry, but not too much; he was a simple man, a man of few words. I had realized that when I was sixteen and moved in with him in the small town of Forks, Washington. But at the same time, though there was always fatherly affection for me, I knew he loved me and cared for me, I loved him very much. He was just a small town police chief with retirement waiting just around the corner; he had his house, a motorboat and a flat screen TV. I didn't want to upset the life he worked so hard for, I never asked him for a dime after undergrad. I knew it would come straight out of his pension.

The door to the administrator's office opened capturing everyone's attention as the hundred-year-old secretary hobbled out; my jaded "classmates" sprang from their seats and clamored towards her. Grasping push-pins in her shaky arthritic hands she slowly stabbed each piece of paper up so we could all see them. It wasn't like Tacoma could put their law school's grades online like they did for the rest of the school; no they had to torture us I'm sure in preparation for the, as Charlie put it "real world". I was elbowed a few times trying to get to the grades, I snickered as I imagined myself trapped in an Abercrombie & Fitch mosh pit. Receiving a few dirty looks from my classmates I finally got to the sheets. I ran my finger down the list until I found the last four digits of my social security number. I passed. Granted, I was never going to make law review, but I passed. I was going to get my law degree so the few bumps and bruises to my ribcage I got from reading my grades were worth it, I passed. The relief I felt was almost palpable.

My shift at Toot's was starting in thirty minutes. I had to go. My Toot's uniform was in the cab of my trusty old red truck so I climbed in and drove out of the parking garage. Toot's wasn't that far away from school so practically minutes later I pulled into the employee parking lot. Carrying my things inside to the employee locker room I changed into the low-cut t-shirt and shorts. I touched up my eye make-up and put my law school clothes and shoes into my locker. Hey, this was much better than stripping for a living.

Putting my hair up into a ponytail I walked out onto the restaurant floor and saw Seth and Embry setting up behind the bar, they were the bartenders slash bouncers for the night. "So, Bella," Seth asked with a huge smile, "Are you graduating?"

"Yes," I breathed.

"Alright," Seth said, holding up his hand for a high-five. He was so tall, I couldn't reach it. "Don't forget about us when you're a big time rich lawyer!"

"Good job," Embry said, walking over and giving me a hug, "Now get out there and start slinging burgers."

* * *

Toot's can be a pretty decent family restaurant, I get tipped pretty well. But, it's on the weekends when the college crowd packs the place that things tend to get pretty rowdy. And tonight was a Friday. It took some time but I've learned how to handle it, and there were rules that our bouncers enforced, frequently. The customers were forbidden to grab the waitresses, smack their butt or have any type of physical contact, but there is no law that says they can't look all they want. And look they did. The other girl working the bar section with me tonight was Lauren. Polar opposites didn't begin to describe us, she is a pretty blonde who everyone liked but in reality she was a hateful, gossipy hag-bitch. I'm positive her fake personality, and boobs I suspect, laughing, giggling and flirting with all the customers got her better tips.

The night was moving along smoothly and I was able to keep a pretty good handle on things until some sleazy, mid-life crisis drunk began coming onto to me. "Come on sweet cheeks, don't you wanna quit this job and have somebody take care of you?" he slurred, squinting as he read my nametag, "Belllllaaaa?" His unruly, drunk friends howled in laughter.

"I do just fine for myself thanks," I said, setting down a pitcher of beer. I wanted to say, I've got a law degree asshole and I'll probably be able to buy and sell your sorry ass with what I make next year. Sorry about the size of your dick, and toss the fresh pitcher of beer on him and walk away. But, I'd get fired for that.

He was too busy leering at my cleavage to respond. So, I placed their food on they table and right as I did, one of his friends picked up the pitcher and "accidentally" tipped it down my shirt, causing me to shriek

"Oops," he said. They all burst out laughing. My white t-shirt was now completely transparent and they all start laughing.

"That's it!" Embry growled, hopping over the bar. "I saw that- you're outta here!"

"Yeah, says who asshole?" Lenny Limpdick slurred.

"Guys, we're going to need some help out here," Seth called on the kitchen intercom to the cooks in the back. I ran towards the locker room passing the kitchen on my way.

"What happened out there?" Paul asked, taking off his apron. He was a friend of Seth and Embry's and helped me fix my truck a few times. "Bells?"

"Yeah," I said, bending my shoulders and pulling my soaked shirt away from my body so it wasn't so see through.

"We're on it."

I could hear the loud arguing in the dining room from the locker room. I thanked God that all the men employed here were huge and could hold their own in a fight. We had become like a family and watched out for each other, I smiled at that thought as I peeled off my beer soaked shirt. Why had I put on a see through bra today?

"Hey, Bella," Emily, another waitress said, coming into the back. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just starring in my one woman wet t-shirt contest," I said, toweling off my bra.

Emily grinned as she handed me a dry t-shirt, "What a bunch of assholes, I had them last week, I think they're trying to re-live their frat boy days, complete alkies. I'm pretty sure they'll be banned forever."

"I hope so," I said, pulling the shirt over my head. My bra was relatively dry, but now I smelled like a brewery.

"Hey, this is why we get paid the big bucks." I said nudging Emily in the ribs.

Embry and Paul came back into the locker room. "Everything's fine, now," Embry said. "We kicked them out, Claire and the rest of the hostesses know never to give them a table here ever again. You can finish your shift."

"Thanks guys," I said, tucking my notepad back into my apron.

Three am finally rolled around and we were closing up for the night. I was relieved. "Hey Bella, we're having a party out at Quil's tonight," Seth said. "You wanna go?"

"Sorry Seth, I've got to put on my lawyer costume and follow up on my legal advice with the old-timers tomorrow morning." Quil's parties were basically everyone hanging out in his apartment getting smashed and smoking a few joints. There were the occasional hook ups and blow jobs, and in the morning, everyone was hung over. There was a time when I had a very active sex life, but once I got to law school all bets were off. I had been surrounded by pompous assholes who thought they were better than everyone, and made it perfectly clear that they hated me twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and the prospect of having sex with me was non-existent. I had had a very embarrassing one night stand last December with one of our bartenders and he later quit.

"Sounds like fun," he snorted. "Why would you ever want to be a lawyer, anyway?" Seth asked as I helped him put up glasses from the dishwasher.

"Well, this may sound silly but, I'd like help the world find justice," I said. "It's the American way."

"Good luck with that, Bell," he said. "Good night."

"'Night," I said.

I could feel exhaustion creeping up on me as I packed up my clothes and went out to my truck, I was incredibly tired, but I had almost a hundred dollars in tips in my pocket that would go towards my rent. I dragged myself up the steps to my apartment and Sunny, the light orange tabby cat that lived around my apartment building, slinked up the steps beside me. "Me-owf!" she said in her old-lady-cat voice.

"Hey, Sunshine," I said. I named her that because she was the happiest thing in my life. "Are you hungry sweetie?" Sunny was the skinniest, saddest-looking cat when I first moved here, but when I started feeding her, she filled out beautifully. She probably weighs around eight to nine pounds now and while she probably has fleas really bad, she's actually kind of pretty. I put a flea collar on her and I hope it helps her some. She adopted me, I like to say. I fed Sunny while she rubbed against my ankles. Her food dish is outside my apartment door I can't let her inside because of the no pet policy. I thought that when I got a real job as a lawyer and was making eighty-thousand dollars a year, I'd take Sunny to the vet, get her fixed, groomed and give her a flea dip, and make her a perfectly spoiled indoor cat. However, with the way things are going it doesn't look like Sunny's going to be an indoor cat any time soon.

My apartment is pretty small and located in a building that has seen better days. When I moved in I thought the walls were painted yellow, they were yellow but it was from the last tenants, apparently they were smokers. They must have smoked like chimneys; even with the fresh coat of white paint on the walls you can still smell it. I don't have a TV, but I do have couch from the Salvation Army and one old, ratty recliner that I found in a yard sale on a rare sunny day. They're both pretty comfortable and suit my needs. Charlie let me take my bed and dresser from my room at his house, the only other furnishing in my bedroom is bookshelves packed with books I had read and enjoyed while getting my undergrad literature degree and my law books. The bright little kitchen only has a refrigerator, stove, a tiny bit of counter space and a microwave I bought for about twenty-five dollars that does the job. I wash all my own dishes. It's little, but it's clean and provides me a place to rest my head at night.

After putting my tips for the night into the rent jar and hiding it in my freezer, I checked my cell phone for messages. Angela had called me. She was pregnant for the second time and her son, Will, was getting into everything these days. Jake had some of the guys over from the garage and they were drinking and playing poker. She just wanted to know that I was doing alright and to let me know that she was thinking of me. Angela. Sweet Angela.

Jacob is from La Push and has been my best friend since childhood. He came to Seattle to attend technical school to become an auto mechanic and Angela was attending Washington-Tacoma with me for her undergrad. The three of us worked at Toot's and of course, before I knew it, Angela, the good preacher's daughter, met, started dating and got pregnant by Jake her senior year. She freaked out more over the fact that her father was going to kill her, not the fact that she was pregnant. It was a shotgun wedding, but in name only, because you could truly see the love the two shared and a few months later she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, they named him William Jacob Black. So now they have Will who recently turned three and another on the way and couldn't be happier. After graduation they moved back to La Push to live on the Reservation where Jake was raised. He wanted his children to have the same natural surroundings and pride in their heritage as they grew. Jake had been one of the best bouncers Toot's had ever had especially when it came to Angela and I, being six foot seven and all- that Quileute hunter in him made Jake pretty scary. Although Embry and Seth could sure give him a run for his money.

I'm sure they were all asleep by now and wouldn't appreciate a late night phone call. Well, at least they should be. I was not.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

I shivered as the air conditioning spewed freezing cold air across my shoulders, of course, I got that seat under the A/C vent. Goose pimples were dotting my arms and my nipples decided they wanted to make an appearance by pushing against the thin material of my blouse; I pulled my K-Mart blazer tighter around myself so they weren't visible and rubbed my arms for warmth. I was seated beside three other students from my Wills, Trusts and Estates class. Naturally, they were all ignoring me.

We had been served green Jell-O and some tasteless cookies after my Professor gave a speech to the residents of the retirement home, most of who were drooling or in wheelchairs or both. "Hi," said a woman with tanned, age-spotted, wrinkled skin as she sat down across from me. She didn't have all of her teeth and it was obvious she had not lived an easy life. She smelled like stale cigarettes, B.O. and a faint hint of beer. "Eileen Kimmel."

"Hello Ms. Kimmel," I said, shaking her hand. "Bella Swan," I said, despite the name tag I was wearing.

"This over here is my husband Leroy," she said, indicating a man who's facial features left no doubt to his Native American ancestry, and who also happened to be slumped in a wheelchair, drooling. Her shaking hands spread out a set of papers. "These here are our life insurance papers."

"Okay," I said.

"Well, we wanna make sure our life insurance money gets to the right folks when we pass," she said, loudly. I had the sneaking suspicion that she wasn't aware of her hearing problem she was talking so loudly. "Ya see our daughter Bethany she got a son who's in the Chillen's Hospital, his heart is bad and he needs a new one. We want her to get the money." I couldn't understand the connection between their life insurance and her grandkid needing a heart transplant, the one really had nothing to do with the other.

Nodding my head as she spoke I unfolded the packet of papers. "Ok, Mrs. Kimmel let me read over the policies and make sure everything is in order." Basic life insurance policies, the named beneficiaries would receive two hundred thousand dollars from each policy upon the deaths of Eileen and Leroy. "Well, Mrs. Kimmel as long as either one of you doesn't die by suicide, your named beneficiary, Bethany Standish, your daughter?" She nodded, "Will receive two hundred thousand dollars per policy," I said.

"That's good then. I'ma gonna tell you something Miss Swain, you seem like a nice enough girl. My grandbaby, her baby boy Heath, he need a new heart, what they say- oh yeah- a heart transplant and the insurance he got ain't paying!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that!" I said, although it really was none of my business. Dealing with insurance companies was a nightmare, you really had to tweak their balls to get some of them to pay.

"They saying a heart transplant ain't necessary, but he dying!" Eileen crooned. The people down at the other end of the table looked at us. I twirled a lock of my hair, embarrassed. "The doctor say he dying, but the insurance don't care! If we died, he'd have enough money for the transplant and his hospital debts."

I wasn't sure how sane this woman was. "Now, Mrs. Kimmel," I said. "Maybe if your daughter hired a good lawyer, she could get the insurance company to pay the bills, so don't do anything rash-"

"Heath's a good boy," she said. "He used to play football and wanted drive himself in Nascar." I held in a smirk.

"He wanted to be a racecar driver? Wow," I said. "That's a big dream."

"He ain't had a chance to live life, yet," she said. "Leroy and I have."

"Mrs. Kimmel," one of the orderlies said. "Now, Mrs. Kimmel, she's just here to give you legal advice."

"It was nice talking to you," she said. "Thank you, Miss Swain."

"Any time," I replied as I watched her push the still drooling Leroy out of the room.

A few hours and too many sugar free cookies later, I was almost finished. One more weekend of this and it was over. I still had a shift tonight at Toot's.

There is an urban legend connected to Toot's, although our owner Tom Banner would never confirm it, apparently Toot's had started out as Tooter's with the Clam as the mascot. Yeah, I know. Hooters took notice and sued Tom and Tooter's for copyright infringement. Tom got the bright idea to shorten the name to Toot's and Hooters had to drop the suit, and people have been going to Toot's ever since.

"Good afternoon, everyone," I said, walking in. Most of the staff looked pretty hung over or guilty or both. I felt so much better.

"Hi, Bells," Embry grumbled.

"Have fun last night?"

"I never went to bed," he said.

* * *

I was back at the retirement home, dressed in my second hand legal attire from the Salvation Army; hey they have pretty decent stuff. I had managed to avoid sitting anywhere near the vent this time, but it was still freezing cold. I spied Eileen and Leroy and tried to hold in my shudder. Ugh. They were standing with a woman in man's t-shirt and jeans, who looked like she was on her way to becoming Eileen, she was pushing Leroy's wheelchair. They saw me. I didn't want them to, but a smile crossed my face, stupidly.

"Hi, Miss Swain," Eileen yelled, hobbling towards me. "Bethany honey, this is the lawyer lady I told you about, Betty Swain." I glanced down at the name tag I was wearing, a name tag that said in big red letters 'Hi, my name is Bella Swan'. _Hmm, I could always use an alias_ I thought to myself grinning. "Miss Swain, my daughter come a visitin today and I thought she could talk to you. She left my grandbaby at the Seattle Grace Chillen's Hospital today. You said all she needed was a good lawyer."

"Oh, Mrs. Kimmel, I haven't taken or passed the bar, yet," I said, apologetically. "I couldn't represent your daughter in court."

"But you could give free legal advice, right?" she asked as she nudged her daughter towards me.

Bethany's face darkened and her lips pressed together. "Hi," she said. "I'm Heath's momma."

"Nice to meet you," I said shaking her very bony hand.

"No one would take my case because I don't have enough money to retain a lawyer," she said, timidly. Bethany was much more eloquent than her Mother; she had probably had a little more education, although probably hadn't gotten the opportunity go to college. "Not even the ones on TV."

"So, what's happened?" I asked motioning for her to sit.

She seated herself and sighed. "I wasn't getting medical benefits from my job at Wendy's," she said. "When my little boy was about two, a preacher type lady knocked on my door. She was selling medical insurance and told me about everything the company she worked for could do to help take care of me and Heath. I signed us up- it was cheap, we didn't have to have a doctor's exam to qualify and we were insured. That was good, you know? I was only eighteen at the time."

"Medical insurance is hard to come by," I admitted, nodding. I myself didn't have medical insurance right now. I quickly did the math in my head she obviously had had her son at age sixteen. Education had come secondary to her child.

"I made sure I paid the premium every month just in case something happened, and when my little boy got sick after a football game two years ago, I took him to the ER and he was diagnosed with a heart murmur," she said softly, running her fingers over the grain of the wood, nervously. "That's when it started. He developed a high fever and it got worse- they said it was a virus and that there were three holes in his heart. They finally got the virus out of his system, but his heart was so damaged, he's going to have to have a heart transplant. When I got him home, I was suddenly slapped with bill for a hundred thousand dollars- a bill I couldn't pay. And I had lost my job at Wendy's because I needed to be there for him. I contacted my insurance company and they informed me that they would only pay half of the first one hundred thousand of bill because it was a virus he contracted through carelessness and neglect."

"My little girl may've had a baby at sixteen, but she ain't never neglected her boy," Eileen said slamming her hand on the table. "She's a good momma."

Eileen glanced quickly at her mother, a small smile appearing and vanishing from her care worn face. "And because of the heart murmur he's been in and out of the hospital more times than I care to count," she said, nervously. "Heath's medical bills keep piling up and are only going to get worse. The Region's bank set up a fund called the Heath Standish Medical Fund, but so far it's only raised sixty-thousand. I don't mean to sound greedy Ms. Swan but that will only cover the part of the bill he's accumulated so far that the insurance company refused to pay," her voice cracked as she fought back tears, "I know I'll be paying off these debts for as long as I live but my son's life is worth it. I'm terrified that we won't get the funding for Heath's transplant and my little man will die."

"I'd like to help," I said. "But, like I said before I have to pass the bar first and the exam isn't until July."

"When you pass the bar, will you take our case?" Bethany asked. There was a pleading look in her eyes. Her son was dying and her insurance company for all intents and purposes was letting it happen.

"I can only say that I'll take a look at it, if it is something I can't handle I will help you find an attorney who can," I said. I dug out one of the mandatory business cards I had had to have printed and handed her one with my name, email and phone number on it. "Can you give me a copy of the insurance policy you purchased?"

She nodded. "I'm at the Children's Hospital most of the time," she said. "I'll be at this room."

She wrote down the room number on my legal pad, underneath it I wrote down Heath Standish- insurance policy.

Shaking my hand as she rose from her seat she quietly said, "Thank you, Miss Swan this means the world to me."

"Thank you, Miss Swain," Eileen bellowed waving over her shoulder as fussed with the blanket covering the still drooling Leroy.

A few other residents of the home came to me for legal advice. I took notes, reviewed and explained their documents; translating them to English from legalese. Finally, it was all over. I had satisfied all of the requirements for my Wills, Trusts and Estates class and I could get my degree.

* * *

Returning home, I pulled into the parking lot and saw that my front door was slightly ajar. I gasped and and got out of my truck, running around to the back I grabbed the tire iron to use as a weapon, since the closest thing to a weapon I had on my person was my keys. Sunny slipped out of my apartment. "Me-owf?" Sunny asked.

"Oh Sunny!" I whispered, kneeling down to pet her. I looked at my apartment door- pushed it open with the end of the tire iron and looked around for any moving shadows. I flipped on the light. My place was a mess. My door had been kicked in and my deadbolt and was broken, splinters from the door were spread throughout the room. Damn it. I dropped the tire iron on the floor with a loud clang. I had nothing to steal, why would someone break into my shitty little apartment?

Oh god no. My rent jar.

I ran into the kitchen sliding across the faded linoleum, the freezer door was wide open and my frozen foods were scattered all over the floor. Getting down on my hands and knees I shuffled through them frantically chanting- _no, no, no, no, no!_ I had managed my rent by putting my tips into a jar and then into my checking account at the end of the month so I could write out the rent check. It had kept me from spending it, like I was prone to do. It was a good idea at the time. I didn't have any renter's insurance. It was hard enough to keep minimum state auto insurance and medical insurance had long since become a luxury I couldn't afford.

This was disastrous.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

After finding out about what happened, some of the girls at Toot's let me work their shifts and Embry, Seth, Sam and Jason let me bartend a few nights to try to catch up. I had to depend on myself. I couldn't call my mom or Charlie. I had enough in that jar to cover the rent, electricity, gas and water. There was no way I was going to be able to make up the amount of money I needed in a week. Damn it.

As we closed up for the night the guys kept making it a point to come over and speak with me, like I said we look out for each other like family.

"I'll try to schedule you a few more shifts, Bella," Sam said.

"Thanks, Sam," I said smiling.

"Hey Bella you want me to come over and install a few more dead bolts?" Embry asked.

"Yeah, maybe," I said.

"Bells, you want an advance on your pay?" Sam asked.

Borrowing from Peter to pay Paul or Sam in this case? "No thanks, Sam," I said.

By the time June 1st rolled around, I only had one-hundred and fifty dollars all of which I had to put towards my four hundred and eighty dollar rent; the other bills would be paid, eventually. When I dropped off my rent check to University Realty with a short, impersonal note explaining why the check was short this month I wanted to cry. I'd have to work every shift available at Toot's to catch up. I sighed.

It wouldn't be a complete tragedy if I lost my apartment, it hardly mattered. I basically used it as a place to sleep and shower. Most of my clothes, files, school books and lap top were in my car. Since the break-in I hardly slept, I would lay there thinking about how I was going to pay my bills, the rest of the rent, how in six months I would have to start paying my student loans and finally get a real job. I started having panic attacks. Normally I only had them around exam times in law school. The stress was becoming too much. I was always exhausted, mentally and physically. I wondered if I could file for bankruptcy, but it cost six hundred dollars just to do that. If I did, Charlie and Renée would find out and they'd kill me for not coming to them, first. Neither of them had enough money to help me out, but they would still give me a hard time.

University Realty started calling me almost immediately about the short rent check. I explained the situation in detail and promised to get caught up as soon as possible. I was working twice as hard as I probably should have while trying to study for the Bar exam next month. After counting out the tips from my last three shifts I decided that food had become a luxury as well. If I went on food stamps, Charlie and Renée would kill me all over again. I was a lawyer for Pete's sake! Maybe I should find a better paying job until I pass the bar.

* * *

About a week later I received a call from Bethany Standish. I had resorted to a prepaid cell a few years ago, one less bill. Of course with the recent turmoil in my life I had forgotten about her. She told me that she had the policy and asked if I could come to the hospital so that I could meet Heath. After agreeing on a time I changed into a pair of jeans and a clean white blouse and got the bus to Seattle Grace University Children's Hospital. The place was massive. As I exited the elevator onto the pediatric cardiology floor I was overcome with the sight of the brightly colored walls with colorful stick figures, cartoon-like suns, flowers and smiley faces plastered all over them. I found Heath Standish's room- he shared it with another little boy who had a similar condition. Bethany was sitting on a tiny love seat while Heath lay propped up in his bed watched _Dora the Explorer_. He was so small and pale it broke my heart.

"Hi, Bethany," I said.

"Hey Bella I'm so glad you came. Here's the policy," she said, holding it up. "And this is Heath," she said motioning towards her son.

"Hey Heath," I said shaking his tiny cold hand. "My name is Bella Swan and I just finished law school. Your mom and I talked about you needing a new heart and I'm going to see what I can do for you."

"Hi," he said, through a weak smile. "You're a lawyer?"

"Uh-huh," I said, brightly, although that was kind of a lie. "Well, I'm almost a lawyer. All I have to do is take one more test."

"I hate tests," Heath grumbled.

"Good," a deep tenor behind me said, "Doctors hate lawyers." I turned to see a doctor in sea-green scrubs and a white lab coat with red and blue stick figures holding hands behind a cartoon sun embroidered on the breast pocket. He was tall, over six feet; his head was topped with unruly red-gold hair and he had a face that belonged on a male model.

"Dr. Edward Cullen. I'm Heath's cardiologist."

"Hello Dr. Cullen," I said nodding my head in acknowledgment.

"I'm just here to do a check-up on Heath. How you feeling, buddy?" he asked, walking over to the bed. He and Heath bumped knuckles and did an elaborate handshake. Heath grinned, weakly. He liked Dr. Cullen. Hey, who wouldn't? Cullen… I had heard that name somewhere before…

"I'm alright. Not feeling any worse than yesterday," Heath said.

"You and I both know that's a lie," Dr. Cullen said scrunching his face into a scowl.

"Yeah, it is," Heath said, smiling.

"Can you sit up?"

"Yeah," Heath said. He pulled himself up by his railing on his bed. Bethany helped him take his hospital robe down so his painfully skinny, pale torso was exposed. There was already a rough scar over his sternum. Dr. Cullen breathed on the stethoscope and rubbed it on his hand to warm it up before touching it to Heath's skin.

"Do you want me to leave?" I asked.

"No, that's okay," Heath said.

"Ready, take a deep breath," Dr. Cullen said. Heath did, and it sounded ragged at the top. "Exhale." Dr. Cullen repeated this process on his chest and then on his back. "Well buddy, your lungs are getting worse so we're going to put you on a breathing treatment that should help clear out your lungs make it easier for you to breathe." Dr. Cullen stepped away from the bed to write on a clip board as Bethany helped Heath put his robe back on.

"Do I get to go home, soon?" Heath asked. Bethany stiffened.

Dr. Cullen sighed. "You know, I don't know."

"Alright," Heath said.

"I'll check back on you in a few hours, Okay? See you later." He and Heath again bumped knuckles, again. Heath nodded smiling.

"Ms. Standish," he nodded, "Miss Swan, nice to meet you," Dr. Cullen said, shaking my hand on his way out.

"Do you see what we're going through?" Bethany asked.

"Yes," I said, sitting on the folding chair in the corner.

"Here," Bethany said. "This is the original policy."

I sat back and opened the folded documents. The policy start date was only seven years ago. That meant Heath was two when she signed up for the insurance. Sixteen plus nine was… twenty-five. She was younger than I was. She certainly didn't look it- she looked to be in her late thirties. I wondered how old the Kimmels were.

There was a clause in the policy that stated the company would not completely cover any illnesses resulting from self-inflicted injury. Bethany had penciled in a star beside it. "This one," she said pointing at the paragraph, "This is what they keep quoting at me as their reason for not covering the entire cost of Heath's hospital stays. They claim he got the virus that ate holes in his heart because I wasn't keeping him clean enough, even though the medical reports say different."

"He's a kid!" I said shocked at the indifference exhibited by the insurance company, "All he was doing was playing football." I had read about people getting germs in gyms that ate their faces off and all they were doing was working out. I sighed, "The amount of germs and bacteria on the equipment he was using must be astronomical. We are talking about kids here, the common cold runs like wildfire through schools just because kids don't wash their hands. I'm really having a hard time with their 'self-inflicted' theory."

"I know!" Bethany agreed, "Oh, I thought you might want to see these." She handed me a packet of dog-eared letters from the Mojave Insurance Company rejecting every claim she had made. In my insurance law class the professor had told us about disreputable insurance companies that preyed on people in low-income neighborhoods who hadn't been well educated using preacher-type sales people that played on their trust. This company was obviously one of those.

"Bethany, I think we can do something once I take the bar in July," I said, "Now, I am very confident that I will pass; hell I've worked hard enough." I said, offering a smile. She smiled back. "But, I won't get my results until early August and I don't have a staff. I don't even work for a law firm, but I'm trying to find one. Before we file suit against Mojave I will have a lot of research to do and it's going to take time. I'm going to need copies of all of Heath's medical records and be allowed to interview Heath's doctors so I can get the full scope of the severity of his case and how much time he has left. If we work swiftly, we may be able to save Heath's life. But, like I said, I can't do anything until I'm admitted to the bar."

She sighed. "I have to wait six more weeks?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Heath's living on borrowed time," she said wringing her hands, "But Dr. Cullen… he's a miracle worker."

I nodded. "I'll need to talk to him, then," I said. "When I pass the bar, you'll have to retain me."

She twisted the hem of her shirt between her hands.

"Because of your financial status it doesn't have to be much," I said taking her hand. I'd only ask her for a paltry sum, like twenty dollars. I'd give it back to her if- no,_when_ we won the case.

We talked for a few more minutes until I realized I had to get to Toot's for my shift. I waved over to Heath saying my good byes and promised Bethany that I would check in with her on a weekly basis.

At Toot's, Sam let me make copies of the letters from the insurance company and let me use the "copy" stamp from his office, very official. I packed up everything and put it in my locker with my clothes.

I was accepting a potentially huge case and a very poor client. I wondered if a law firm, any law firm would want me now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

I made my way through the sea of humanity that congregated in a giant auditorium in Seattle, after finding my assigned seat I removed my blazer and smoothed the wrinkles from my pencil skirt that I had found at a thrift store. I had managed to study and take all the practice tests for the bar exam, despite my job at Toot's and hours of research on Heath's case. Heath was holding on, some how. But right now, I had to put everything out of my mind while I took Washington State bar exam.

I felt as though my head was completely empty as I finished the exam and left the building. After a few tries I found my truck and drove to Toot's. I was scheduled to work the dinner shift, but after seeing how out of it I was Sam sent me home. A doggy bag with spicy boneless chicken wings, ranch dressing and curly fries had mysteriously appeared in my locker.

I mindlessly drove through the streets of Tacoma, finally arriving at my tiny, run-down apartment. Sunny was sitting patiently by my front door waiting for me to feed her. I unlocked all of my dead bolts. Embry and Seth had come over and installed a few more dead bolts and reinforced the door with steel after I was robbed. When I left my apartment I locked every other dead bolt, figuring that if a thief wanted to break into my apartment by picking the locks, they would pick all of them, and locking the one that wasn't locked in the process, defeating their entire purpose. I know it sounds strange but it gave me a better sense of security that way.

Dropping my bags by the front door I flipped the light switch. Nothing. Flipping it a few more times I cursed. _Damn it._ I had no electricity.

Sighing, I propped the front door open so I could use the dim light in the hall to guide me. I retrieved a few tea candles and placed them on my card table in the kitchen. My unromantic candle light dinner was accompanied with research papers about Heath. When the words began to blur on the page I put my research back into my messenger bag and placed a few tea candles on a plate and brought them into the bedroom.

It was mid-July and my water had been cut off, I didn't have A/C in my apartment, either, not that it would matter at this point because of the lack of electricity. I just had to sleep naked and shower before I went anywhere because of the heat, opening the windows didn't help much.

When my water was cut off I started using the public restrooms and shower in the dressing rooms at the University's recreation center. I knew that there were showers in the law library's restroom as well, as most of the law students practically lived there, but no one used them so I began using them as an alternative to the rec center. I was still behind on my rent and University Realty was threatening eviction if I didn't catch up soon. I made an arrangement with the main office, and they agreed to give me three months to catch up. My one luxury was my cell phone I couldn't live with out that. Gas didn't matter since I stopped cooking because I couldn't afford food and it was summertime. I wondered if it would just be better to live out of my truck for a while.

Sam often times came up to me with a doggy bag of freshly cooked food after work saying, "This was a to-go order of buffalo wings that wasn't picked up- you want it, Bella? I can't sell it, and I hate to throw it away." I knew quite well that it wasn't to-go or forgotten- it was hot and fresh, hadn't been under the warming lamps and it had ranch dressing, curly fries, and a pickle, just like I liked. My t-shirts were getting bigger and bigger and I began using safety pins at the waist of my shorts so they didn't fall off. I must have lost ten pounds in the past six weeks with the lack of food. I tried to say no a few times, but then Sam told me to ask the guys if they wanted it. I asked around- the boys never refused food, they had a hollow leg each, like most men did. All of a sudden, they claimed they were stuffed, food looked gross from working with it all day, or they had a great meal waiting for them at home. My fellow waitresses were suddenly on diets and didn't want it either. Thank God for my family at Toot's or I would have starved to death.

* * *

The next morning, the alarm on my cell phone woke me. The poor thing was on it's last bar of battery since I couldn't charge it in my apartment. Sleeping no longer being an option because of the heat I decided to go to the bank and put my tips into my checking account. Feeling slightly better after I made the deposit I walked over to the electric company to see if I could get my electricity turned back on. The very helpful, extremely snotty customer service representative informed me that it would cost one hundred, twenty-four dollars to turn it back on, I had one hundred and fifty three dollars in my checking account. I sighed. As I wrote the check I thought, _take it all, bitch, might make you feel better._

I was desperately hoping that I only had a few more weeks of working at Toot's. I had applied for a job at a customer service call center, but when they saw my law degree, they laughed and said I was over qualified and I never heard from them again. Jobs at retail stores didn't pay as well as the tips at Toot's. I was pretty much stuck here until I was admitted to the bar.

Since I was out I decided to visit Heath and Bethany. "Hi, Bethany," I said. "Still waiting on the bar certification. How's Heath doing?"

Bethany's eyes filled with tears. "He got another infection in his lungs," she said. "They moved him to the ICU."

"Bethany!" I cried, hugging her. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you," she said. "I don't know what to do. My Momma and Daddy are talking about killing themselves so we can have their life insurance money to pay for Heath heart transplant!"

"I figured as much," I said, patting her shoulder.

I pieced together Bethany's story- she got pregnant at age sixteen, cutting short her education and left to raise the baby on her own. She resented that baby until she had it- and then everything changed when he was placed in her arms. She had told me once that she named him after Heath Schuler, one of her favorite football players. She didn't have her high school diploma and worked hard to be both mother and father for Heath. She did everything she could to make his life happy until Heath contracted a virus after a football game. She had been an easy target for the Mojave Insurance Company.

We sat in the waiting room until we got the all clear to go see Heath. I got thirsty and went to the hallway for a water fountain, but couldn't find one. "You know, we have soft drinks," one of the nurses told me. "If you want one, they're in the refrigerator."

"Thank you," I smiled and grabbed a Sprite from the mini-fridge. It was perfect.

I made small noises of satisfaction with each sip and sat down in the hall.

"You know, you shouldn't be stealing hospital supplies meant for the patients," a deep voice said. I looked up to see Dr. Cullen looking down at me. There was a slight smile on his lips, so I knew I wasn't in too much trouble.

"Hello," I said.

"It's not really that safe to sit in the middle of a hospital hallway either," he said, offering me a hand to stand up. His hands felt so cool and smooth… oh, wow… "We could very easily run over your foot with a gurney or wheelchair. And I know how lawyers like to sue everybody."

"I- I'm- I'm not that kind of lawyer. I don't even know if passed the bar," I stuttered, standing up, dusting my butt off. "I'll find out tomorrow."

"Well, good luck to you," he said. "Are you here for Heath?"

"Yes," I said. "If I pass the bar, I'm going to help Bethany sue Mojave Insurance."

"Ah, Mojave Insurance," Dr. Cullen said, annoyance dripping from his voice. "I've heard far too many things about them. Let's consider them our common enemy."

"They're an enemy to you?"

"To doctors like me, who actually want to save lives instead of doing paperwork," he said. "I have the answers, I just… getting the money and the resources. You're trying to obtain those for him, aren't you?"

"I like Heath," I said. "He's a good kid. His mother paid for help that Mojave isn't willing to give. I can't fathom the damage his body is suffering because he has to wait for the transplant."

"Well… I can tell you what would happen if his situation worsens; how he'd die."

"Dr. Cullen, you can't imagine how helpful that information would be for his case."

"Alright," he said. "Oh, by the way, just call me Edward."

"Thanks, Edward."

"Would you mind if we talked over coffee? I'm on my lunch break and I really need something eat."

"Oh, sure."

He motioned for me to follow him saying to me over his shoulder, "I'll buy." I'm so glad my stomach didn't gurgle.

After he bought both our lunches we found a table. As he ate he explained the disease- what viral strain he contracted, what it did to the heart, and then how if not treated properly over time could possibly lead to things like strokes because of the blue blood mixing to the red blood. I took notes while sipping my coffee- coffee and a soft drink in one day- what a day. "Dr…..Edward, would you be willing to testify on behalf of Heath?"

"Yes, of course," Edward said. "What are you doing for your defense?"

"I've been taking samples from inside of bowling balls, on gym weights, public restrooms, public toilets," I said. "I'm going to send them to a lab to see if I can get them cultivated to show that the virus could have been contracted in ordinary places."

"Have you tried taking samples from places like playgrounds and school desks?"

"Yes," I said. "I've been, uh... _escorted_ from a few places."

He gave me the sexiest half-grin I had ever seen in my whole life. My insides melted. "That's pretty brave," he chuckled. "I know this sounds like a really cheesy line but I think I've seen you somewhere before…"

"Oh, I'm all over the place," I said, shrugging.

"You're not an ambulance chaser, are you?" he said narrowing his eyes.

"I haven't even passed the bar," I said. I sucked in the air through my teeth. I hated the idea of being an ambulance chaser. I always saw myself becoming some big-shot lawyer making millions a year, taking on the corporations. "I just watched _Erin Brockovitch_ a few times too many in high school."

He chuckled again- he had such a deep, sexy laugh. I just wanted to fling myself on him and ask him to do me right there. "And I watched too much _ER_."

"What made you go into medicine? Really?"

"My um- my father. The man who raised me. Well, Bella, it's been lovely talking to you- I have to go," he said.

I wondered if I said something wrong. That concern faded as I watched him walk away, wishing he wasn't wearing that white lab coat. I was dying for a better look at his ass.

Reality then crash landed and I realized there was no way he would ever be interested in me. The only men interested in me were drunken morons at Toot's bar who threw pitchers of beer on my white t-shirt to see my boobs. I sighed. I was an out of work lawyer who wore a polyester blazer from K-Mart and my crappy shoes that gave me blisters were from Payless. He was probably married, already. Why hadn't I looked for a wedding ring like a normal girl would? I finished my coffee and went back to the ICU waiting room to meet up with Bethany.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

After my conversation with Edward about the inevitable outcome of Heath not receiving the transplant, I doubled my efforts in finding out everything I needed to know about Mojave. My research had led me to discover that Mojave Insurance was owned and operated by the Volturi Investment Group headquartered in San Francisco. The owners were brothers- Caius, Marcus and Aro Volturi. According to an article in Forbes magazine, they had started off small as landlords in an apartment building in Oakland, moved on to commercial real estate acquisitions and then branched out into the insurance industry. Mojave insurance began its life providing home and auto insurance then later expanded to include medical and life.

It was pounded into our heads by our ethics professor that we not to become personally involved with our cases, but the more I researched Mojave/Volturi the angrier I became. Apparently Mojave only existed on paper. There was no office to visit, an automated 800 number and a PO box were the only means for their policy holders to contact them. I dug through Heath's file and found the rejection letters from Mojave, the PO box was conveniently located in San Francisco. The net worth of the corporation was kept confidential citing stock holder privacy so I had absolutely no idea how much they were worth. Granted we weren't out to bankrupt the company, although the thought had crossed my mind, we were only going to sue for the current amount and any future settlements that Bethany was entitled to from the policy. Problem was, when we did bring suit against them would they actually pay up? Heath deserved a fighting chance to live and this policy was one of the ways we could succeed. From everything I found, these guys were the epitome of sleazy and their business practices were sleazy as well. I certainly had my work cut out for me.

The large grandfather clock in the library chimed eleven-thirty, shit, I was going to be late to work. I had the lunch shift. Logging off the libraries computer I placed my research in Heaths file, shoving it into my messenger bag and ran out to my truck.

A few out of breath minutes later I walked into the dining room at Toot's with my uniform in hand. All the lights were off. "Surprise!"

I jumped a mile. Most of the guys and half of the girls (the ones that liked me) were standing there with huge smiles on their faces. There was a hand-made sign hanging over the bar that said, Congratulations, Bella! See you in Court!

"Oh, wow!" I cried. "What's this for?"

"This," Sam said, walking toward me and handing me a picture frame. I looked down and he had cut out and framed the list of the people who had passed the bar from the newspaper. My name was towards the bottom.

"Sam, thank you!" I cried throwing my arms around his neck, stepping back I looked back at the frame, "This is great!" I was overjoyed-I had actually passed- and certain people in my law school who gave me so much shit about being poor hadn't. Ha ha ha. I guess money can get you into law school, but it couldn't help you become a real lawyer.

"I was going to offer you the night off," he said grinning, "But I knew you wouldn't take it."

"Yeah, I'd rather work."

"Well then in honor of Bella's hard work and dedication," Sam said clapping his hands together, "Let's celebrate with a shot of my very best tequila." Everyone at the bar cheered and I was clapped on the back. "Only one shot!" Sam announced, "I don't need my employees getting stinking' drunk on the clock." Embry and Sam lined up twelve shot glasses and they started pouring shots of Pasion Azteca tequila. Sam kept the bottle locked in his office safe, apparently this stuff was the Cristal champagne of tequilas. The juke box started up and a country song started playing over the stereo system. Raising his glass in my direction Sam bellowed, "To Bella- who's going to kick some ass in court, and just cause you passed that bar don't forget about this one!" Everyone cheered and toasted, downing our shots. The warmth of the liquor ran down my throat and spread all the way to my toes, then the burn started, I shrieked. "Okay folks, now that you've all had my good liquor, get your asses to work!" Sam said grinning wolfishly, "This is a business I'm running after all!"

After thanking everyone I went to the locker room and changed into my uniform. I had a hard time concentrating during the lunch rush. I needed to get home to see if I had received my certification, the official swearing in would take place in a few months but I needed to see if I was admitted in the Supreme Court of the State of Washington. It was the only way I would be able to commence the action against Mojave and Volturi. Changing back into my street clothes I let Sam know I would be back for my later shift. Pushing my truck past its limits I made it home in record time, I almost ripped my mailbox off its hinges as I pulled it open. A solitary envelope stared back at me, Washington State Bar Association blazoned across the top. This was it, this is why I worked as hard as I did, for this moment. Exhaling loudly I slowly tore the envelope open, the cover sheet was an obligatory congratulations letter from the bar association, what I wanted was underneath. Sliding the top page over I saw it.

_Be all known by these presents that the Supreme Court of the State of Washington_

_hereby grants leave and entitles Isabella Marie Swan, Esq. to appear and plead_

_before the justices of the Supreme Court of the State of Washington._

I couldn't help myself, I started to squeal like a mad woman; jumping around doing a well deserved victory dance. Slipping the letter into my back pocket I got back in my truck and went back to Toot's for the dinner rush. They still had the Congratulations sign over the bar and all the customers insisted that I ride the mechanical bull. I made a complete fool of myself, but thankfully I didn't fall or break anything. All in all the night went well.

I had to see Bethany and have her sign a retainer, I wasn't going to ask for much from her but I was going to include attorney's fees as part of my request for damages. I walked into the ICU waiting room and saw Bethany reclining on one of the overstuffed couches. "Hey Bethany" I smiled.

"Bella, what are you doing here," she looked up at me confused.

"Well, I am certified to practice law so I need you to sign a retainer so we can file the complaint and get the ball rolling."

"Oh Bella that's wonderful," she said rising from the couch and enveloping me in a bone crushing hug, "so what do I have to sign?"

I reached into my bag and pulled out the retainer I had typed at the library.

"I just need you to sign here and I will file a copy at the court house with my notice of intent." She looked up at me like I was speaking another language, "Sorry," I grinned, "It's procedure, just letting the court know that I am your lawyer."

"Ok great" she smiled leaning over to sign the retainer, "How much are you going to charge me?"

"Well," I looked down at my shoes and thought, _yes, yes, yes, the glamorous life of a lawyer._ "I was thinking $100.00 just to cover the court fees. Along with the amount Mojave owes you I'm going to be asking for attorneys fees, let them pay for my services."

"You can do that?" she said with a look of shock on her face.

"I can and will, if it wasn't for them withholding payment you wouldn't have to sue them."

Nodding, she smiled, the worry lines around her mouth and eyes causing her to look much older. "Thank you Bella."

We said our good byes and I drove over to the court house to file the complaint.

* * *

Life was moving along as usual, I was still working at Toot's and had been interviewed by more law firms than I knew existed in Tacoma. About three weeks after I had filed the complaint against Mojave I received a letter from them requesting we meet and discuss the case. The meeting was to be held at a law firm downtown so I didn't have to travel far. Apparently, the Volturi Investment group had better things to do than to meet little old me so I was to meet with the lawyers representing Mojave Insurance.

I checked the address I was given just to make sure I was in the right place. The building didn't look much better than the one I lived in; taking a deep breath I pushed open the glass door and entered the office. Sitting behind the reception desk was the oldest woman I had ever seen in my life. "Hello missy, do you have an appointment?" the crypt keeper growled.

"Yes, hello, I'm Isabella Swan I have a 10:00 with Ms. Oliveri."

She smiled (a grimace really) at me and I couldn't help but notice she was missing a few important teeth. "Ok Ms. Swan," she said picking up the phone as she pointed to the ragged leather couch, "Have a seat."

The clacking of high heels grabbed my attention from the sounds of the pouring rain. "Hello, Ms. Swan," a sickly sweet voice said from behind me, turning toward her I knew this to be Heidi Oliveri, the lead attorney for Mojave Insurance. She was tall and thin and I think her suit cost more than I make in a year at Toot's. Reaching out to shake my hand she said, "My associates and I are here representing the Volturi Investment group and Mojave Insurance Partners. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," I said releasing her hand.

"Please follow me Ms. Swan."

I followed her down a dimly lit hallway to a conference room. Four men in expensive suits stood as we entered the room. Ms. Oliveri sat across from me, her associates strategically seated on either side of her, shuffling papers between them.

She adjusted her glasses as she skimmed a document placed in front of her by one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It was really disturbing, she looked like Tina Fey when she did her impersonation of Sarah Palin. Creepy. "Now Ms. Swan if I understand correctly, your client is suing Mojave Insurance and VGI for insurance fraud?"

"Yes," I said. "My client wants Mojave to cover medical costs they refused to pay for her son and my fee as her attorney."

Her expression hardened. She-devil. The men in suits next to her crossed their arms. Intimidation tactics. Please, I work around drunken college boys, they'll have to do better than that. "Hm, I'm sorry I don't have the file handy, exactly how much would that be?"

"Five hundred and sixty thousand dollars," I said keeping the anger from reaching my voice.

"Well you must understand Ms. Swan we at Mojave Insurance maintain the position that Ms. Standish neglected her son thereby creating the possibility for illness," she said. "And because of that neglect he contracted the virus that ate the holes in his heart. We at Mojave Insurance do not cover health problems incurred as a direct result of neglect- the streptococcus virus that Heath Standish contracted could have easily been prevented with proper care and hygiene. Please realize Ms. Swan that as stated in our policy, page-" the horsemen began shuffling papers again.

"Five hundred twenty two under section G subsection ( i )," I interrupted. "I am fully familiar with the paragraph, so is my client."

"Well, Ms. Standish should consider herself very lucky that we at Mojave Insurance didn't turn her over to child services. Now we understand and sympathize with the position Ms. Standish is in so we at Mojave Insurance are prepared to offer Ms. Standish a ten-thousand dollar donation towards her son's medical fund," she-devil Heidi said smiling. That was only a drop in the bucket. That wasn't going to do it for Bethany and Heath. What a hag.

"I'm sorry Ms. Oliveri but that amount will not cover a quarter of the medical expenses incurred by Heath. My client paid for medical insurance and the first time she filed a claim Mojave failed to pay due to reasons without basis in fact."

She sat back in her chair regarding me with narrowed eyes. "Very well then but Ms. Swan just keep in mind that we only represent a fraction of the very experienced lawyers on staff with the Volturi Investment Group. And from what I know none of them lost their first job with a firm before they were even out of law school."

She-devil had claws. Yowch. Fear and insecurity whipped through me, but, I had already sent off samples of germs from random public surfaces that a child could come in contact with. I had Edward's testimony, too. If I tried, I might make some kind of difference. Maybe they'd chicken out and settle out of court once they realized we meant business and that I knew my shit.

"Ms. Oliveri it is flattering that you did your homework on me but I'm willing to stand behind my client." I said

"Have it your way, then," she-devil said. "We'll be speaking soon, it was nice meeting you."

"Nice meeting you, too."

I made my way down the hall past the crypt keeper and out into the cold damp day. Sucking in a lung full of rain soaked air I walked back to my truck to call Bethany. Of course, my phone didn't have a signal so I decided to go to the Children's Hospital to see her and give her the news in person.

The problems with Heath's lungs had greatly improved so he was moved back in his regular room in the pediatric cardiology ward. "Hi, Bethany," I said. Heath was sleeping.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"They offered you a ten-thousand dollar donation," I said, shrugging. "We're going to see if we can take it to court."

"This is it, huh?" she asked.

"I know," I said, trying to comfort her. I was the least experienced lawyer she could have retained, and here I was, taking on her case and taking it to court.

There was a knock on the door- and there, as always was doctor model Edward. "Good afternoon ladies, how are you?" Edward asked, seeing the sullen looks on our faces. My heart rate suddenly sped up at the sight of him. His green eyes twinkled and his unruly hair seemed to defy gravity. I could go surfing on those cheekbones. Wow. But... he was asking me questions. About Heath.

"From the meeting I had this morning it looks as though we're going to court," I said, remembering I had to answer, not just drool over him.

"I'll do anything to help save Heath's life," Edward said.

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen," Bethany said.

"I need to check a few things on Heath, if you can wake him up." Bethany nudged Heath, whose eyes fluttered open. "Hey man," Edward said, prepping his stethoscope. "This'll only be a few minutes and I'll let you go back to sleep."

"Mmm?" Heath moaned. He did a quick exam of Heath's back and left him alone.

"Thanks, Bethany," Edward said.

"I didn't sleep at all last night," Bethany said. "I'm going to try to catch a few Z's while Heath does, too."

"Okay, I'm on my way out," I said. "Bye Bethany."

"Bye Bella," she said through a yawn.

I left with Edward. "So, how was it?" he asked.

"They tried to intimidate me," I said, shivering. "They brought up the fact that I just passed the bar and have never been to court."

"You've never been to court?" he shook his head. "You know my brother works for Stillman, Carter, Freedland and Webster."

"Your bother is a lawyer?" I asked, touching the elevator button.

"Yeah."

"No wonder the name sounded so familiar."

"Yeah, Emmett Cullen. He's very sly, putting on his dumbass act and then, bang, he's got you right where he wants you. He's actually quite brilliant," Edward said chuckling as if recalling a funny memory of his brother.

"No wonder… I- I knew I knew your name from somewhere," I said. I had heard the stories of Emmett Cullen- a junior partner who presented himself as a stupid, redneck good ol' boy, but then threw you for a loop with his sharp wit. There were some stories told about him in law school that I had overheard. His favorite saying was _Hey y'all, hold my beer and watch this_, right before he tore the other side a new one.

"But, maybe if this case looks promising, they'll take it on," he said. "I don't know much about law, but what you're doing is impressive. You'll make a name for yourself."

That meant that a big law firm would horn in on this case. As far as the big picture went this wasn't an important case, especially since the amount of money we sued for was miniscule compared to bigger cases. "Thank you for that," I said. "But right now it looks like I'm in business for myself."

"Oh wait, I know where I know you from!" he cried as I stepped out of the elevator. "You're a waitress at that little Hooters-like restaurant out in Tacoma, aren't you?"

"Well… yeah," I said, my cheeks turning bright red.

"Emmett and Jasper took me to watch the pay-per-view game there when I moved here last year-"

"Yeah." I suddenly felt sick- he knew Jasper Hale, Emmett's right-hand man, one of the best, most celebrated jr. associate lawyers in the Northwest. My whole body was blushing, now.

"I woke up in the middle of the night with cold sweats from that damn wing sauce- what was in it, anyway gun powder?" he asked, amused. I wanted to die. I was the fake Hooters floozy waitress parading around as a lawyer, one who hadn't spent a day in court yet and wasn't employed by a law firm. I wore short shorts, low-cut t-shirts and got hit in the ta-tas with the occasional pitcher of flying beer for a living.

"I'll see you around, Edward," I said, cutting off my humiliation.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Of course the meeting was going to be held in their offices in San Francisco, so I asked Sam for a few days off and drove my geriatric truck to California. I stood on the sidewalk looking up at the massive glass and metal monolith where the Volturi Investment Group had their headquarters and couldn't help but think that the building was just another tool designed for intimidation. In my best thrift store suit, new Payless shoes and messenger bag slung over my shoulder I was quietly whisked up to the 38th floor, the home of the VIG legal department. As the elevator doors slid open I was met with plush carpeting, potted plants, and expensive paintings on the walls, soft lighting and a smiling Barbie doll with silicone boobs and collagen lips was manning the reception desk. "Good afternoon, how may I help you?" Barbie simpered at me.

"Hello, I'm Isabella Swan I have a 10:00 with Mr. Volturi."

"Of course Ms. Swan," she smiled again, "Please have a seat."

I took a seat on the beautiful leather couch. As I sat waiting, I triple-checked to make sure my messenger bag contained all of the copies of Bethany's letters from Mojave Insurance. Another Barbie secretary with fake boobs came out to greet me. At least her lips were real. "Ms. Swan?"

"Right here," I said, standing up.

"Follow me, please," she said in an annoying high-pitched soprano.

I followed her overly-aerobiciszed ass down a long, marble hallway; the quiet of the office was unnerving, occasionally disturbed by the clicking of her heels on the marble and the soft ticking of someone working on their computer. She opened the door and ushered me into the conference room. The large glass windows overlooked the city; and a long, highly polished oak table with plush chairs surrounding it dominated the room. This room was much classier than the Mojave offices I visited in Seattle, however I have a strange feeling those offices were set up to portray a company without much capital. There was no mistake that this was where the real power was located. Seated at the far end of the table were three older men with silver hair and three professional-looking secretaries positioned behind them, as if to take notes. At least they didn't have fake boobs, I think.

"Ah Ms. Swan, so very nice to meet you," said the one that stood up to greet me. Smoothing his obviously expensive suit he walked toward me. His face was thinner than the other two. All three had long, aristocratic noses and deep set dark eyes. He extended a hand to me which I shook, the jingle of a large gold chain around his wrist seemed out of place and trashy on him. "My name is Caius Volturi. These are my brothers, Aro and Marcus," he said, gesturing to the men on either side of him. Marcus seemed disinterested in the entire situation and Aro sat in his massive leather chair grinning like a mad fool. Offering me a seat he said, "Can we offer you some refreshments Ms. Swan?"

"No thank you," I said seating myself.

"Very well. Now Ms. Swan we understand that your client wishes to sue our Mojave Insurance division for denial of coverage." Caius stated as he took his seat between his brothers.

"Yes sir."

"We have personally reviewed the Standish boy's case," Aro said almost giddy. "We are all fathers- I assume you're too young to have children yourself, let alone to be able to take the bar, am I correct?"

_Flattery will get you nowhere,_ I thought. "No sir, I do not have children yet."

"While Heath Standish's condition does not qualify for coverage, we are willing to offer a charitable donation towards his medical fund," Caius said. "We are a philanthropic organization. We can offer a total lump sum of fifty thousand dollars, which is quite generous, considering we already covered half of his initial hundred thousand in medical bills."

I almost laughed out loud. "I'm sorry gentlemen but, I can't accept that," I said. I smiled. "First of all my client was never late with her payments." I stated as opened up my messenger bag and pulled out the copies of Bethany's statements. I handed them over to Caius. "Second of all, the section of the policy that has been continually quoted to her by the Mojave agents as the reason for non-coverage does not apply to Heath's condition. If anyone had taken the time to read his medical reports they would have seen that the bacteria that caused his condition is common in almost every public location in the country. Therefore, there is absolutely nothing in the policy that was sold to her that validates her son's medical bills not being completely covered by Mojave."

"Hm, well Ms. Swan we have no other option than to have this presented in a court of law," Aro said. He grinned foolishly at me; I saw a glint of evil in his eyes. He was mad as a hatter.

"As you wish gentlemen," I said standing, "Thank you for your time."

"Good day to you," Aro stood, clasping my hand in his very cold clammy grip.

"Nice meeting you," I said as I packed up my paper work and was escorted out of the office by one of the Barbies. "Have a nice Day, Ms. Swan," she said as the elevator doors closed.

I walked out into the lobby feeling incredibly angry. What a waste of time, we could have done that over the phone I though to myself.

"Miss?" the guard called out to me. I turned see the rent-a-cop looking at me. "Miss?"

"Yes?"

"Did you just come out of the VIG offices?"

"Yes sir," I responded slightly confused.

"Watch yourself," he whispered.

* * *

Back in Seattle, I struggled to keep my life in order. I continued to look for a "real" job while working every shift I could get my hands on. Sam, with his infinite kindness kept me from starving to death.

After a day in court, the judge, to the dismay of the attorneys for VIG and Mojave, decided to have the case heard before a jury.

I couldn't get to the hospital fast enough. When I told them the news Bethany and Heath were ecstatic. "We're finally going to get our chance to be heard!" Bethany said, tears running down her cheeks.

"I'm not going to die for nothing," Heath said.

"Heath, don't talk like that!" I cried.

"She's right- the secret to surviving an illness is positive thought."

I heard the soft rumblings of Edward's voice talking to a few nurses. I wanted to run.

"Well I've got to get going," I said.

"Good to see you, Bella," Bethany said. "Best news I've gotten in years!"

"Yeah, see you later!" Heath said his sickly face turning into a smile.

Edward blocked the doorway. "Hello Bella," he said. "Hey Bethany, Heath."

"I really have to go- sorry I can't stay," I said. I rushed past him. I wondered if he looked at me and saw me in my Toot's uniform in his mind's eye. Just like how I imagined him naked, sometimes, in the middle of the night when I couldn't get to sleep.

I wouldn't admit it, but I actually liked Edward. He was intellectual, sophisticated, funny, wasn't married and was sexy as hell. I liked him- we had talked a lot about Heath's medical condition and he had helped me find the best germ-testing labs. It felt like he really liked me at first. I found myself dreaming about him quite a lot. My most recent took place in a courtroom. The judge had read the juries verdict and I had won Bethany and Heath's case. Edward jumped up from his seat and grabbed me in a tight hug. Kissing me like there was no tomorrow he yelled out to everyone in the courtroom that he was in love with me, the judge stood up and cheered. In my dreams, he didn't know I was a waitress who wore short shorts in an attempt to get good tips and got beer thrown on her when customers got really drunk. In my little fantasies of seducing him before I fell asleep at night, I was employed at a prestigious law firm and Edward never knew about my job at Toot's. Now, I was a joke-a cock tease slut. Compared to him I looked like white trash. I'm sure he had plenty of rich, beautiful, sophisticated women to choose from and I'm positive if he introduced me to his friends they'd all laugh at him- and especially me- if he told them about Toot's.

When I got to my car I realized in my haste to see Bethany and Heath I forgot to lock the doors. Damn it. Checking through the cab of my truck I saw that nothing was missing. Sitting back in the drivers seat I rubbed the sweat from my face. It was muggy and hot, and even worse in his car. I sat staring out of the windshield, what was I thinking when I took that job? Yeah, the people there were great, but most of them weren't trying to go into law. Had I shot myself in the foot by working there? Working there was almost like being a stripper, stripping her way through law school.

I was broken from my reverie by a tap on my window.

Standing beside my car was a blonde man wearing aviator sunglasses. I rolled it down. "Can I help you?" I asked the man.

He smiled at me. "You had something we wanted, Miss," he said. His smile made me uncomfortable.

"I'll be here tomorrow, we can talk about this later," I offered.

"But you dropped your keys," he said, holding up my car keys, grinning. He seemed like a Cheshire cat, dangling them.

Furrowing my brows I looked towards my ignition I realized the keys were missing. "Thanks," I said, reaching out the window, but he snatched them away.

"Ah ah ah," he said. "Come out and get them."

I was stuck-I couldn't get them from him without getting out of my truck. Looking down on my seat I noticed that my cell had no service in this parking garage. Great. Out of my rear view mirror I saw another man standing by the back of my truck. What the hell!?

"Come on, Isabella," he said. "Come out and get it."

How the hell did he know my name? When he said it, it sounded like a curse word. I grabbed the tire iron I kept on the passenger seat, just in case, and slipped out of the truck shutting the door behind me. "Hand me the keys," I said, trying to be firm, although my voice betrayed me by warbling.

"You have to ask me nicely," he said. "You have to say, 'Please give me the keys, James.'" He laughed. I gripped the tire iron tighter.

"She's so pretty. Too bad," the other one said.

James took a step towards me and I swung the tire iron at him. "Give me the keys," I warned.

"Laurent, grab her," James said. I screamed and swung the tire iron, but he caught it in his hand. Laurent laughed at me as he slipped the tire iron from my hand and dropped it to the ground with a clang. He seized my arms and twisted them behind me. "You're going to stop representing Bethany and Heath Standish," James said grabbing my chin, "Or," he said moving his lips close to my ear, "We'll make your life a living hell." I now knew why every one else refused to represent them.

"You work for the Volturi group?" my voice squeaked in surprise.

"You could call us…..independent contractors." James said as they both laughed. Laurent grabbed me by the shoulders and slammed me against my truck, slightly knocking the wind out of me. Before I could regain my breath, James and Laurent began hitting me-it was a blur as to who did what but I was punched in the face, hit over the head, slapped a few times. When I crumpled into a fetal position to avoid it all, screaming in pain, one of them kicked me in the stomach.

Gasping for air I squirmed around on the concrete trying in vain to avoid their blows. My vision was splotchy from being punched in the eye-but one of my hands connected with the cold of the tire iron, I grasped it in my hand like a lifeline. "Come on, Isabella," James said, as if he were speaking to a small toddler. "Cooperate with me. Say you'll stop."

"You'll have to kill me first," I hissed.

I swung the tire iron and it connected with his knee. Yes. He squealed in pain. "Bitch!" I felt a hand grab a fistful of my hair then yank me to my feet. I writhed in his grip trying to get away and twisting my ankle in the process. James held me up and wrestled the tire iron out of my hand

I felt a body press up against me, then a hand on my hip moving to caress me, not like the touch of a lover. I felt ill, nausea and the incredible need to vomit coiled in my stomach like a snake ready to strike. "You're going to wish you were never born, bitch," Laurent's voice crooned in my ear.

"Get your fucking hands off me!" I shouted, but Laurent covered my mouth with his hand. I began to kick and squirm trying to get away from him.

"Hold her still while I do this," he yelled at James. I felt his fingers slide up my leg, under my skirt to the waistband of my panties and roughly starting tugging them down. I continued to struggle against him trying to ignore the shooting pain in my side. "Aw, look at her fight," James sneered. "It's kind of cute."

The next moment I heard a smacking sound and Laurent's hands were jerked away from me he cursed. "Shit!"

"LET HER GO!" I knew that voice- it was Edward. What the hell was he doing here on this level of the parking garage?

James dropped me, and I tumbled to the ground in a heap. My hair had fallen out of its bun during the struggle and I let my hair fall around my face in a protective shield.

Laurent sounded like he was in pain. "How do you know she doesn't deserve this?"

"No one deserves what you were going to do-" This time the sound was like flesh hitting bone.

"I see she's got some back up," I heard Laurent say, "We'll leave her be, for now."

"I think that's best," Edward said.

"Isabella Swan, just know that people are watching you. Take care." I watched from my shield of hair as Laurent and James limped off to a Saab that was waiting nearby. The Saab raced off, tires squealing.

I shakily sat up and Edward's hands grasped my shoulders. "What were you doing in the parking garage?" I asked him as I rubbed a sore spot on my jaw.

"Going to my car," he said. "I heard you scream."

He was looking intently at my face. "What are you doing?" I asked although it hurt to speak.

"Checking you for damage," he said. "Yeah, come on, I'm taking you in, can you stand?"

I slowly stood up and tried to put some weight on my foot. Hissing in pain I said, "No, no, I can't."

"That's not good," he said. Looking away for a moment he turned and picked me up.

I yelped "You can't carry me all the way."

"It's not that far," he promised. I could feel his powerful sinewy muscles under the thin cotton of his shirt move with each step he took. I was surprised I could focus on feeling him with all the pain I was in. It suddenly struck me how bad my rib cage felt and that I didn't get my keys back.

"My keys!" I shouted.

"What, ah, here they are," Edward said, picking them up with me still cradled in his arms.

"Oh!" I moaned.

"What is it, are you in pain?" He looked down at me his expression reflected his _doctor mode_.

"My whole torso hurts."

"I'll hurry."

"I don't have medical insurance," I admitted. "I don't know if I can afford an ER visit."

"Then we'll go to my office, I'll examine you there," he said. We crossed the walkway to the hospital and got into the elevators. He took me up to an empty room and sat me down. He started to undress me.

"Um Edward, what are you doing?" I muttered as he continued removing my blouse.

"I'm checking for broken ribs," he said. "I'm pretty sure they're broken- l'll have to do x-rays to make sure."

I was suddenly nervous about my underwear. Don't look at me like that, you would be too. Shit. I didn't own a matching bra and panty set- and the panties I had on were an old grubby yellow patterned pair from a Victoria's Secret sale from when I was an undergrad- a girl on my floor in the dorm worked there, and I got an extra discount on top of that. My bra was a thin white everyday bra, not even padded. Granted, I was gifted by the Boobie Fairy, so I rarely wore padded bras, but still.

"I'm supposed to be at work," I said, trying to worm my way out of an exam.

"Work? I don't think so," he said. "You're not going to be able to lift anything for at least a month." He felt around my rib cage until he found the rib that was broken when I cried out in pain. He watched me for a moment.

His gaze was almost loving as he took great care feeling his way up my side. No one ever had ever looked at me like that before. I felt my nipples getting hard from his gaze and the soft touch of his fingers as he explored my injuries. I could feel my nipples sticking out through the thin cups of my bra. I stayed perfectly still, I felt that if I moved he might see that I liked the way he was looking at me and touching me. His hand connected with an achy spot on my side causing me to yelp, then inhale a deep breath which sent pain shooting across my body. Wait, a second. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Yeah, this is the one," he said, under his breath, looking back at me, "I mean, the rib. Does it hurt to breathe?"

"Yes, especially when I take a deep breath." _And when you're near me. I'm hyperventilating._

"I don't think you have flail chest," he said, covering me with a sheet. "Only an x-ray can tell for sure. I'll get some things to clean you up." Reaching down he took my leg and tried to bend it, I could feel tenderness towards my knee. "Does it hurt?"

"Just my ankle. It's even sore near my knee."

He took the other one and bent it. "This one?"

"No, it doesn't hurt," I said.

"Ok, sit tight, I'll be right back."

He left the room to get some medical supplies. Why hadn't I grabbed my breasts protectively, gasping slightly when my nipples poked out, as if scared of being so undressed in front of him? Why didn't I fight harder at being stripped down to my panties in front of him? What would Edward have done? Would he have said, _I won't hurt you, Bella, I promise, _and then would he have removed my bra to get a better look at my breasts to make sure I wasn't bruised or hurt? God, I wished. Then he'd take off my panties to make sure I hadn't been molested or raped and of course, I'd be naked beneath him, I'd give him my best come hither look and he'd absolutely lose it and jump my bones right here in his office. Gah! Stop it.

I felt my panties soaking at this little fantasy. Was I insane? Of course not. I was an undressed female human- what doctors usually looked at all day long. He was a physician who usually worked with kids. But, doctors didn't look at women patients like that… right? Ah, who was I kidding? I had just been beaten up and almost sexually assaulted and I wanted to seduce him? What in the hell was wrong with me?

A few moments later Edward returned. He carefully checked and cleaned the abrasions on my face and then he wrapped my damaged ankle in an ACE bandage. I hoped and prayed he wouldn't notice the result of my fantasy in the form of my wet panties.

Handing me a hospital gown he asked me, "Does that bra have underwire in it?"

"Yeah," I said, tracing along the wire under the cups with one of my fingers.

"Ah, well, you're going to have to remove it," he said, "We're going to go downstairs for x-rays."

"No, I- I can't afford that," I said.

"We'll charge it off on the hospital," he said. "Say it was an x-ray that didn't turn out right. Do you need some help?"

He wasn't going to let me back out of this. I tried to reach behind myself, but my side screamed in pain. "Can you unhook it?" I asked.

"Of course," he said. His arms encircled my middle, almost like he was hugging me. His scent was wonderful. A slight hint of cologne but he, himself, smelled delicious. I just wanted to lick him. But, I didn't. He didn't look at me as he slowly slid my bra down my arms. It was a good thing, too, because for modesty sake when I covered myself with one of my arms I noticed that my nipples were hard. He handed me the hospital gown and left the room so I could cover myself.

He returned with a wheelchair, which I gladly sat in and took me to the x-ray department. As we entered the room a pretty girl immediately jumped up. "Hi, Dr. Cullen!" she said, not even seeing me.

"I need some films done," he said.

She gazed at me, eyes wide. "She's an adult, though!"

"Do this for me, Lisa?" Edward asked, looking up at her through his eyelashes. He was flirting his ass off for her. "Just this once. Have I ever asked you to do anything like this before?"

"Alright. Just this one time, Dr. Cullen."

Edward winked at her. "You're a sweetheart, Lees."

Lifting me from the chair he gently put me on the x-ray table. "I need chest and ankle films," he said as he stood off to the side as the technician prepared me. Luckily, Edward had guessed it all right- I had one broken rib, no internal damage, no broken ankle. He took me back to his office and dressed me, minus my bra.

"I'll take you home," he said.

"Edward, really I'm fine," I said. "I can get home on my own."

"No, you can't. You'll never be able to push the gas pedal on your truck," he said. He was right- my right ankle was the sprained one. "I'm off from work, anyway."

"I don't deserve this," I said.

I sighed and sat back in the wheelchair as we crossed the walkway over the street to the parking garage. "Stay here," he said smiling. "I'm pretty sure you'll be just fine." He went into the parking garage and about five minutes later, a silver Volvo pulled up and Edward got out. He picked me up, gently, and put me into the front passenger seat. In the driver's seat, he turned on a GPS in the dashboard. "Where do you live?"

I punched it in for him. A part of me liked being near him, but another part of me wanted to get home so I could hide from him. We rode in silence and I stared out the car window.

"Bella, why have you been running out of the room every time you see me?"

"Oh, um, I… you found out I still work for a Hooter's rip-off," I said, still gazing out the window. "I just thought… It's hard to be taken seriously, but I can't make my budget work if I don't work there."

"Bella, it's a job. It's honest work. It's a family restaurant," he said. "I know you didn't get a job like you wanted when you got out of law school, you're taking on a case that most other lawyers would have dropped once they saw those two thugs," he said, "You're a better person than most people that come out of law school. Hell, you're a freaking saint."_ Not with the kind of fantasies I've been having about you lately_, I thought guiltily.

"Don't be ashamed. It's not like you're a stripper or a phone sex operator," he said. "Do your parents know you work there?"

"Yes," I said. "And they don't care."

"See? Nothing to be ashamed of," he said. My cheeks burned. "There's nothing wrong with capitalizing on your looks. Models and actors do it all the time."

As he pulled into the parking lot of my apartment building, I pointed out the staircase that led to my apartment. I didn't have crutches since they'd hurt my rib so Edward again picked me up and carried me up the steps. Stopping in front of my door I found myself eye level with a yellow eviction notice and a padlock.

It was humiliating-a creeping blush rose up my cheeks as I fought back tears.

"Bella?" Edward asked. "Say something- you're scaring me."

"Goddamnit!" I screamed. "Fucking shit! What is this?" He set me down, keeping his hold around my waist. "I'm almost caught up on that month I lost when I was robbed!"

"They're evicting you for that?" Edward asked.

Pulling my phone from my back pocket I read the eviction notice in the dark by the LED of my phone. They stated I had a cat when pets were explicitly banned because I hadn't paid a pet deposit and the fact that they found candles in my apartment, another violation of the lease. "It's because of Sunny," I said, looking at her bowls. Sunny's bowl was overturned and kibble was everywhere. "She adopted me. She's an outdoor cat, though, I don't let her come inside! And the fact that I've got candles in my apartment- how would they know that unless they broke in?"

"I'm sorry, Bella," he said.

"My electricity kept on getting turned off- I had to have candles!" I whimpered.

"You'll get a chance to get your belongings out soon," Edward offered. "Wait, did you keep any of the documents for the Standish case in there?"

"No, that's all in my truck."

"That's not a safe place, Bella."

"I know!" I cried. I finally did start crying. This was the perfect day, really. "But all my personal papers-my family scrapbooks-half my wardrobe-it's all in there!" I looked down at the bottom of the notice to see who had ordered the eviction.

The Volturi Group. Oh God. This case was becoming more and more dangerous every day. They were attacking me personally, what the hell did I get myself into? The Volturi group was-they were like the mob-and me with my brand new law degree was taking on the freaking mafia! Perfect.

"University Realty is owned by the Volturi Investment group?" I said to no one in particular. "They're the same group that owns Mojave Insurance!"

"Come on, Bella, you can crash on my couch," Edward said, picking me up.

Edward drove me to his apartment in Seattle, I cried the entire way there. Sunny was all alone in the world, probably without anything to eat. My books, my legal books, everything I owned was going to be sold to pay off the two hundred I still owed University Realty, aka The Volturi Investment Group. I should have borrowed it from Sam. If I had let their thugs rape me, would they have cancelled out my debt? I doubt it.

At this very second I felt so completely worthless. Why hadn't I found out that the Volturi investment group owned my apartment? Why hadn't I made that connection? Why didn't I know that my home was in danger? My pictures, my books, my clothes were all in there.

"Bella? We're here," Edward said, pulling into the underground garage under his building's apartment. At least it was gated. He had to be tired of carrying me around, but he picked me up, again from the passenger seat and made our way to the elevator. Looking down at me he said, "We'll get your car tomorrow, alright?"

The building he lived in was beautiful, the architecture was from the turn of the century. It suited him.

For some reason, I sighed in relief at the giant iron gates and security cameras.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

The apartment building was huge, built in the shape of a square but only three stories tall. Arriving at the garage elevator Edward pressed a series of numbers into a key pad the elevator doors swished open. The ride was short and we were let off outside another ornate wrought iron gate. Walking under a stone archway we passed through hidden courtyard with a beautiful garden set in the middle. As I looked around I noticed lights on in a few of the apartments. With me still in his arms he walked up a wrought iron staircase and headed towards the corner of the second floor. "Will you be okay? I'll have to set you down to unlock the door."

"Of course Edward."

He placed me gently on my feet on the cobblestone walkway and removed his keys from his pocket. "Home," he said smiling, pushing the door open.

Even in the dark his apartment was beautiful-it was obviously furnished with the help of a professional decorator. Picking me back up he flipped on a light and I realized my earlier observations were completely wrong, the place was magnificent. A window wall overlooked the bay, the lights of the city shone off the highly polished cover of a beautiful, black baby grand piano placed by the window, all the furnishings had a very homey, warm, welcoming feel to them. Edward sat me down on the couch, running his hand through his hair he said, "Give me a few minutes I'll set you up in the guest bedroom."

"Okay." I said snuggling back into the very comfortable couch.

"I'll run a bath for you," he said over his shoulder as he walked from the room. "You probably want one after the day you've had."

A few minutes later he came back into the living room and hoisted me into his arms and carried me into the guest bedroom. As we entered the room I heard the water running and realized how wonderful a bath would be right now. He set me down on the bed and went into the bathroom. I groaned as I slowly took off my single shoe and painfully shrugged out of my white blouse. I sat there in my skirt and camisole trying to sort out the past few hours. "Bella?" he asked, coming out of the bathroom. Lifting my head I couldn't help but stare, he looked so beautiful at this very moment, in this lighting. Why didn't I move when he had been examining me in his office? I thought. But…I wanted Edward. I realized I had wanted him for so very long. Kneeling down so his face was level with mine he said, "I don't think you can do this by yourself."

That was for damn sure. "I don't think so either," I replied softly.

He picked me up and set me down on a bench by the side of the tub. Taking my foot in his hand he unraveled the ACE bandage from my ankle. Every time his fingers grazed my skin, I felt my heart race a little. "I'm going to be very careful, alright?" he said as he removed my camisole. He exhaled, slowly, looking at me topless, since he hadn't put my bra back on me at the hospital. The way he watched me in the office wasn't a fluke. In an almost subconscious reaction my nipples hardened, again.

Men never looked at me the way he was at this very moment. They didn't look at me with care, desire, compassion and need. They looked at me like I was a piece of meat in a nudie magazine, placed on this earth for them to drool over my cleavage. It was surprising the way he was treating me.

"Can you stand up on your good foot?" He helped me up and I felt his fingers slide under the waistband of my skirt, stopping at the small of my back, causing butterflies and goose bumps to break out all over my body. Undoing the button he slid the skirt and my panties down my legs, I held on to his shoulders as he removed the rest of my clothing from around my feet.

For a moment, I felt the angel on my shoulder telling me, No! Don't do it! He's trying to do a good thing for you! Don't take advantage of his kindness! He's a doctor he does this all the time! However, the devil on my other shoulder jumped up and down and howled, He wants to fuck you too so, so, so hard it'll make you scream. Tempt him a little more! Come on don't be shy! I bet you he must be a demon in bed! The angel countered with, you are filthy right now, you're covered in concrete, gravel, sweat and dried blood. Do you really want him to make love to you when you're this dirty and covered in crap? The demon shut up. Fine.

I stared up at the ceiling trying to keep from gasping from the shock of humid air on my naked body. When I looked down, I noticed a bead of sweat run down the side of his brow. Not noticing how high the water level was he picked me up and put me in the tub, water sloshed over the side of the tub, getting everywhere. "Sorry, Bella," he said sheepishly. "I didn't realize how full the tub was." Sitting back on his legs he pulled his soaked shirt over his head and threw it into the hamper in the corner.

He helped me sit forward in the tub as he poured water over my tangled hair. Pouring shampoo onto my head he began to wash my hair, as his fingers gently raked across my scalp and through the knots my insides felt like they were melting. We didn't look at each other, nor did we speak. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, especially sitting there stripped to the waist when I was this exposed and vulnerable. He finished washing my hair and told me to lean back so he could rinse the shampoo away.

"Do you mind bodywash?" He said softly.

"No," I replied, still refusing to look at him.

"I never use that poofy thing," he said offhandedly, "… always my hands."

"Okay."

He squeezed out some sweet-smelling Dove bodywash into his hands, lathering it up he began to wash off my back, his touch was gentle but when he got to my ribs his touch was feather light. He was avoiding my breasts. I realized at that moment that I never wanted to be without his hands on my body. I was afraid that if I never told him or showed him how I felt, he would never act on it. His hands were lathering up my stomach. I couldn't let this moment pass. I couldn't not let this compassionate, caring man, unlike any other in my past, not know what I was feeling.

I took in a deep breath.

Grabbing his hands in mine, I slid them up my body to my breasts, "Bella-"

I looked at his face-his eyes were wide and staring at his hands cupped around my breasts.

"Please, Edward, I… I want you. So bad," I whispered.

"Bella, no-I can't take advantage of you like that."

"Edward please look at me," I begged, holding his hands tighter to me. He tried to pull away when finally his eyes met mine. I noticed for the first time, he had beautiful, moss-green eyes, flecked with specks of brown and gold. I squeezed my legs together-the bundle of nerves between my legs was throbbing for his touch. "I need you right now."

Our eyes locked. He didn't say anything. And I felt his hand softly squeeze my breast, causing me to moan.

"Kiss me," I whispered. Moving one hand from my breast he held the back of my head as his mouth crashed down on mine.

Oh God. His lips were completely smooth, hot and wet. I wrapped my arms around his neck in an attempt to not slip under the water and as my broken rib reminded me of its presence, a surprised squeak came out of my mouth. Taking advantage of this he slipped his tongue into my mouth, soft, hard, sweet and demanding. Oh, yes. I could feel my heart hammering in my chest as the pulse in his neck matched its pace. He climbed over the edge of the tub, his mouth never leaving mine, soaking his scrub pants and sending more water cascading over the edge. His sudden movement and weight of his body caused me to slip under the water, a scream of pain shot through my torso.

"Ow, ow, ow!" I sputtered, breaking the kiss as we rose above the water.

"I'm sorry, Oh God, forgive me, I lost my head there for a moment," he apologized, panting, lifting himself up. He climbed out of the tub. "I'm sorry, this is wrong," he said.

"Edward, no!" I demanded.

He stood there glaring down at me with an indescribable fire burning in his eyes, scrub pants hanging off his hip bones from the weight of the water- this was just torture. I was naked, in his bathtub, soaking wet, and there he was-his massive erection straining through soaking wet scrubs. Apparently making up his mind he lifted me up out of the water-the cool air and Edward causing my nipples to become hard enough to cut diamonds. He backed me up against the wall, his arms taking the brunt of the collision and he slid his body seductively against mine. Our mouths connected in an attempt to devour each other. Gently lifting my legs by my thighs he wrapped them around his waist and carried me out of the bathroom and down the hall.

His bedroom was dark, the only illumination was cast by the light of the moon streaming through the window. He laid me gently down on the bed and pressed a kiss to my still-wet hip bone. Looking up at me through his lashes he said, "You are so beautiful, even beaten up. Let's see if we can do this without causing anymore damage."

"Hmmm," I breathed. I watched him untie his soaked scrubs and whip them and his boxers off on to the floor. I laid there taking in his naked glory and became completely incoherent as my arousal pooled between my legs.

He ran his hands up my sides lightly, pushing my arms up over my head. He caught my wrists. "Tell me if I'm hurting you."

I nodded and opened my legs up for him, settling between them his cock pressed against my leg, it felt like a bar of hot molten steel wrapped in velvet. I wanted so badly to reach down and grab him, but he had my wrists held captive over my head. I tried to writhe beneath him, but my torso wasn't letting me. He didn't put his weight on me, either. I moaned. "Don't ever stop touching me," I muttered. "I love your hands. I love the way they feel."

"Like this?" he asked. His free hand gripped my breast, but didn't squeeze. His thumb just circled my nipple- my whole body vibrated against it. I groaned.

"Exactly," I said, his mouth meeting mine. "I want you so badly."

"I want you, too," he said. I wrapped my legs around his hips, since he had my hands held captive I used them to press his cock harder against me. He finally released my wrists and settled on his forearms. My nipples rubbed against his chest, igniting them on fire. I reached for him, trying to pull him on top of me, but he resisted. "Bella, your broken rib can't take my weight right now."

"Being a doctor I'm sure you can figure something out?" I asked, pouting. "I want you inside me, right now. Please."

His brow furrowed for a moment then he settled between my thighs on the side of his hip, balancing on one arm, flicking his tongue around my nipple he said, "What ever you want, Bella," rolling back on top of me as his hardened length entered me.

I have had bad sex, good sex, embarrassing sex, drunk sex, pity sex, guilt sex, revenge sex, horrible sex, boring sex and sex I was ashamed to admit to, but this came nowhere near any kind of sex I had ever had before. Holy God… as he entered me I felt him stretching me- my eyes rolled back inside my head. Every nerve ending in my body ignited, I was flushed with endorphins. I couldn't hear anything for a moment, but then I could hear myself moaning- in a voice that even I didn't know or recognize- in response. My whole body was on fire- the world as I knew it no longer existed. It was just Edward and me. He thrusted in and out of me, making me feel like I was about to go over the big hill on a roller coaster. When I was about to find my peak, he teased me, pulling back. But, I could wait no longer. My muscles clamped around him as my orgasm ricocheted through me carrying the both of us over the edge.

"Oh God Bella," he groaned. I could feel his pulse thrumming through his length and I felt myself clamping around him again. He stayed still inside me then thrust back in once, twice. On the second thrust I pressed my hands to the small of his back, holding him to me as his name left my lips in a guttural growl, a second orgasm crashed through me, my nerves going wild, willing him to go further and never unsheathe himself from me. He placed soft kisses on my forehead and lay down on top of me. "Ow!" I cried, although I didn't want him outside of me. I had to laugh. He slowly pulled out of me.

"Sorry, I forgot," he said grinning, laying down beside me he laced his fingers into mine. I looked down at our entwined hands and naked bodies side-by-side. Mine was swollen with dark bruises peppering my torso. I didn't like the way my breasts looked- and I had never found a good enough reason to groom below the waist. He, on the other hand, was sinewy and perfect, had smooth muscles under his skin. I felt his hand rest on my stomach as we caught our breath. I didn't care because we had just had fuckgood sex.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah," I said. "Actually, I am."

He kissed my temple. "Alright, let me cook for you," he offered, getting up. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness and zoned in on his beautiful ass. He walked around to the side of the bed and helped me up.

"Are you planning on cooking for me naked?" I asked, seeing that he wasn't dressing.

"Would you like to have a naked dinner?"

With him? "That sounds wonderful," I laughed. Fan-Fuckingtastic.

He carried me into the kitchen and sat me down on a chair in his breakfast nook. Retrieving a blanket from the back of the couch he handed it to me, so I spread it over my legs. I finally got to see him naked in the light. He was very, very, well-built. I could stare at the sculpted v-shape of his hip bones at the bottom of his abdomen for well…forever. He was beautifully formed, better than my fantasies. He obviously didn't need manscaping- he didn't have that much body hair, but it was just enough. I was transfixed by his form.

"So, what do you want for dinner?" he asked, opening the refrigerator. "I've got some roast beef, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing. I could make a Rueben for you."

"You keep Sauerkraut in your fridge?" I asked. When I lived with Charlie, I cooked all the time and I never got Sauerkraut.

"I love to cook, it's good on a lot of things!" he said. "Okay, if that doesn't sound good, I can reheat some pork loin, or maybe a salad…"

"Do you have anything easy to eat?" I asked, feeling the soreness of my jaw.

"Of course," he said. Reaching into the cabinet over the sink he hummed as he moved cans around, "Ah ha, Vegetable soup."

"That sounds great," I said. He got down a deep pan hanging from the ceiling and emptied the soup into it. "You know, you can microwave it."

"No, I prefer doing it this way," he said. He grabbed a short apron and tied it around his waist. "Just in case," he smiled and turned on the flame under the pot.

As silly as the apron was it gave me a great view of his ass, the ties hung down right between his muscled cheeks, this was better than any fantasy I had ever had.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"I could use a stiff one right about now," I said rubbing my temple, "It might help with the pain."

"Oh, I… I don't have any alcohol in my house," he said. "How about some milk? It'll help you sleep better. And I've got some Tylenol for the pain."

"That sounds good," I sighed, leaning back. My torso screamed in pain, but I tried to ignore it. Edward poured a glass of milk for me and set it down. I sipped it- it was skim. Good. I popped the Tylenol with a gulp.

He set down two soup dishes and spoons and poured the soup. "How is it?" he asked.

I took a spoonful and blew on it. Letters floated around in it, flicking through the letters with my spoon I considered making him eat 'cock' but we had just had sex. Laughing was incredibly hard with my jawbone swollen and sore and breathing hard hurt like a bitch, too. "This is good for canned soup. You sure can cook."

"Alright, I know, I know. I'll make pancakes for breakfast."

"Can it be a naked breakfast?" I said eyebrows raised in hope, "Because this doesn't count since you didn't make the alphabet letters from scratch and cut up and stewed the vegetables-"

"Anything you want, Bella," he said, smiling. He picked up my skinned knuckles and kissed them.

After dinner, he took me into the living room and built a fire. We laid down, covering ourselves in the tiny throw blanket and he let me curl up on top of him. If tomorrow never came, I'd be so pleased, because I now know that this was what perfect was.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

A bright light shining in my face woke me, I opened my eyes gazing around the unfamiliar living room and felt something shift beside me, looking next to me there lay Edward. He was even more beautiful in the sun light, still deeply asleep our position had slightly shifted during the night and I could feel his thick shaft twitch underneath me. It was hard-good old morning wood.

Yesterdays events replayed in my mind. My life was shit right now. Thugs sent to intimidate and rape me, my landlords convinced to evict me and padlock my apartment door. I was representing a woman and her dying son against an insurance company that was owned by a corporation that conducted itself like the mob and was systematically attempting to ruin my life. My side still hurt. But damn, I had gotten some good lovin' from Edward. My whole body was still sore from last night and damnit, that kind of hurt I could live with.

Edward stirred and his eyes opened. God, he had beautiful eyes.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said, smiling. I could feel exactly what he wanted. And boy I wanted it, too. I never had morning after sex- usually the next morning, if it ever lasted that long, was always awkward. I couldn't believe this situation wasn't terribly embarrassing. I realized I was completely comfortable with him.

"Hey you," I said. His hands traced down my side and came to rest on my butt cheeks, giving them a little squeeze. I sat up halfway, Edward and the air conditioning causing my nipples to stick straight out. The Tylenol had worn off and my broken rib was screaming for attention. I knew my face was swollen and discolored in a few spots.

Moving around slightly, I looked at Edward with furrowed brows, "Do you feel that, there's something hard and long underneath me."

"Oh really?" he asked, grinning.

Moving slightly to my left I ran my finger down his length. It jerked under my touch.

"Don't you have naked pancakes to make?"

"I'll make them for you… for a trade," he said.

"What kind of trade?" I felt like teasing him for a few minutes, at least.

"I will make naked pancakes for you forever," he said. "If…"

"If...?"

We were interrupted by the sound of a key being placed in the front door lock.

I froze.

A million thoughts ran through my head- his wife? Was he married? Girlfriend maybe? Who was that?

"Oh crap," he muttered.

"Happy Birthday, Edward!" a woman in a sundress called as she bounced through the door with a cloth grocery sack slung over her arm. She had dark, spiky hair and a huge smile etched upon her face until she saw us, she paused, her smile fading at the sight of us curled up on the floor together in nothing but a blanket.

I clutched the little throw blanket to myself. It didn't cover much of Edward or myself. I felt my whole body flush red.

The girl giggled. "Hi," she said. A tall man with unruly blonde hair entered behind her, along with a woman with caramel-colored hair who was a little bit older. They were all carrying presents. They stopped and stared in shock.

"Uh, this isn't what it looks like," Edward said running his hand through his hair, "Ok, well maybe it is."

"Hey, what's with the traffic jam!? Tell the midget to move it!" a voice bellowed behind them.

"Um, Emmett, I wouldn't-" the blonde man said, but he was shoved forward and a tall, muscular man in a baseball cap stumbled in the door.

He started laughing when he saw us. "Good job, little bro!" he bellowed. "What'd you do to her? She looks pretty roughed up!"

"Goddamnit, Emmett!" Edward snapped, sitting up, wrapping an arm around me to protect me. His sudden movement caused a sharp lightning bolt of pain to shoot through my side. Who were all these people just traipsing into his apartment and what was going on? It was Edward's birthday?

"What are you guys doing here this early?"

Another man with honey-blonde hair walked in followed by a young blonde woman. Oh God, I was going to die. The blonde woman's eyes narrowed at me.

"We said we were going to have brunch for your birthday," the caramel-haired woman said. The tiny spiky-haired girl giggled, again, uncontrollably. "It's almost 10:30, Edward… I think we need to step outside while you and your lady friend get cleaned up and put some clothes on." Everyone stood there, gawking at us. "Now!" the caramel-haired woman barked, smacking all of the visitors on the shoulders.

"Who- what-" I stuttered.

"That's my family," Edward said sheepishly. "I thought we would have woken up before they got here, but… I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't mean for them to find us naked on the floor."

"They're your family?" I asked. "And they almost saw me naked!?"

"They're the people that raised me after my parents died," he said, helping me up and carrying me across the living room to the couch. "I wanted to bring you over to the house and introduce you to everyone properly."

Panic bubbled up inside of me, "Emmett Cullen is in that group of people! He just saw me in the buff! I'm never going to get a job in this city! I might as well take on another profession entirely- or move to Portland-"

"Bella, calm down. Before I got my own place my room was right next door to Emmett's, I had to listen to him and Rose going at it for four long years," he snorted. He looked down at himself. "We're going to need a shower, and clothes. Come on, let's do this fast."

He picked me up and we went to the bathroom in his room. He sat me down and turned on the water, checking the temperature he carried me into the shower stall. Helping me stand under the hot water he scrubbed me off before quickly washing himself.

"Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?" I moaned, still feeling incredibly cheap.

"Last night you had just been beaten and almost sexually assaulted, in the grand scheme of things I didn't think it was all that important." he said, shampooing his hair. He was quiet for a moment. Rinsing his hair he looked me deep in the eyes and said, "Bella, you must know that I don't regret last night. At all."

I nodded. He helped me dry off and sat me on the bed while he dressed. "Okay let's see, I think I have some clothes you can wear." He held up my bra, raising an eyebrow. I shook my head, "no". It hurt too much to even think about wearing a bra yet. He pulled a wife beater over my head and helped me into a pair of his jeans. I was surprised his jeans even buttoned up on me, his hips were so narrow. At the last second, he put a blue work shirt on me over the wife beater to cover possible nipple exposure. "You have _no idea_ how perverted Emmett can be," he said.

"I guess we have to do some damage control," I said, guilty.

"Trust me this," he said motioning his hand between the two of us, "Is _not_ damage control material, Bella. I'm not the first one my parents have ever walked in on," Edward said, picking me up.

His family was sitting around the living room, watching TV and drinking coffee from a local Starbucks. "Smells like ass and sweat and bad tuna and, and… ass in here!" the giant was saying.

"Emmett!"

"And what are you doing to help, Mom?" he smirked.

The caramel-haired woman, who I assumed to be Edward's mother, was spraying down the rug by the fireplace with Febreze.

"Hi everyone," Edward said, entering the room with me. "I'd like you to meet Bella Swan, attorney at law."

The blonde woman rolled her eyes, but the honey-blonde man stood up from the floor, as did the giant. "Bella Swan? As in Isabella Swan?" the blonde man asked. "Edward, put her down. Very nice to meet you- I'm Jasper Hale, Edward's brother-in-law."

"Hello," I said my cheeks still stinging.

"She's the newly minted attorney taking on Heath Standish's case," Edward explained. "That's how she got this," he said, pointing at my cheek.

"The Standish case?" the little brunette asked, suddenly serious. "You're either really, really smart or really, really crazy."

"No, I'm not crazy, I just don't have medical insurance," I said.

The blonde man I assumed to be Edward's father and the giant laughed.

"Bella, let me introduce you to everyone," Edward said, setting me down on the couch.

"This is my wife, Alice," Jasper said placing his arm around the pixies shoulder. "I must say Bella, you are a very brave woman. Even our firm refused the Standish case, the Volturi Group's mob like tactics are legendary. If the bruises on your face are any indicator, they obviously haven't changed much."

I snorted, "my face is the least of it, you should see the rest of me," I cringed, realizing what I had just said. "I mean, my ribs and ankle are in pretty bad shape."

"You poor thing!" his mother cried. "I'm Esme Cullen, Edward's mother." She shook my hand.

"Hello, Carlisle Cullen, nice to meet you," the tall blonde man who was obviously his father said nodding towards me.

"Doctor Rosalie Hale," the blonde girl said, stiffly.

"Emmett Cullen," the giant said, "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise Emmett," I said smiling, I couldn't help myself, even though it hurt.

"Edward, did you wrap her ankle at all?" Esme asked.

"I um… took it off last night," Edward said. _Among other things, I thought_. "I'll go get an ACE bandage."

Carlisle picked up my foot and rested it on a pillow he placed on the coffee table. It had swollen to almost three times the size and was a lovely purple color.

"Nice," Carlisle said. He looked at my face, examining the bumps and bruises. "Were you attacked last night?"

"Yes, I hardly escaped," I said. "If it weren't for Edward-"

"She's got one hell of a swing with a tire iron," Edward said, returning with the ACE bandage. "I heard a scream in the parking garage-"

"And you couldn't call security?" Rosalie snarled. "You could have gotten yourself killed trying to play hero!"

"Two men were beating her up in a dark corner of a parking garage, I was supposed to stand back and watch as I waited for the rent-a-cops to arrive?" Edward replied angrily while wrapping my ankle, "You know a lot more could have happened in the time it would have taken for them to show up, Rose!"

Rosalie looked away- she was thinking something else entirely.

Quickly changing the subject Carlisle said, "Well, we picked up a couple extra coffees, we drink so much of it in this family. Bella, would you like one?"

"Yes, thank you that would be so nice," I said. "And could I possibly trouble you for some Tylenol?"

"There's some in my medicine cabinet," Edward said, sitting on the arm of the couch beside me. "Dad, can you get them?"

"Sure son," Carlisle said, exiting the room.

"You've got some balls, kid," Emmett said. "Standing up to the Volturi Investment Group? We need to hire you a body guard."

"Wait a second," I said, fear rising in my chest, "Edward, who owns this building?"

"It's a co-op Bella, all the tenants do," Edward said as he rubbed my shoulder and placed a sweet kiss on my forehead. "You're safe here, Bella."

"Thank you Edward," I said softly squeezing his hand.

"I'll start on pancakes!" Esme said, nervously, "Does anybody want Mickey Mouse pancakes?"

"Yeah, Mickey!" Emmett shouted thrusting his fist in the air.

"Sure, Mom sounds wonderful," Rosalie said shooting Emmett a dirty look. Esme went into the kitchen and started on the pancakes.

"Did you report the attack to the police?" Carlisle asked, returning with three Tylenol and a glass of water.

Taking them from him with a thank you, I swallowed the pills and water, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand I said, "No... I'm already on the Volturi Insurance Group's radar. I don't want to give them even more reason to mess with my life."

"Although it won't matter much to the Volturi Group, I think it's in your best interest to get a restraining order," Jasper said, "Having one on file with the police department just in case."

I nodded.

"Please Jasper, that's not going to do her any good when thugs that _are_ legally employed by the Volturi Group come after her." Emmett pointed out.

"Yeah," I muttered, "Restraining orders aren't bulletproof."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Breakfast with the Cullen's was fascinating to say the least. Conversation was light until I mentioned my eviction. I ended up telling everyone the whole story of how my eviction came about. Initially I was embarrassed, but as I spoke the look on Jasper's face turned from interested to oddly upset.

"The Volturi Group has abused their power again and has completely bypassed standard eviction proceedings," Jasper noted, flexing his legal muscles. "From what you've told us you didn't have a history of being late with your rent. You were practically caught up with the rent arrears and you have a verbal agreement with your landlords. Regardless of all that eviction was commenced."

"I've contacted University Realty and I will be allowed to enter my apartment on Sunday afternoon and pack up what I can," I said. "If I do not come up with the two hundred still outstanding they're going to seize the rest of my belongings and sell them to make up the difference."

"That's so wrong," Alice said, softly.

"Well, to tell you the truth it doesn't bother me," I said. "I don't have that much stuff, anyway."

"But it's yours!" Alice cried. "I bet if they sold your bed frame and dresser, they'd have all the money they needed!"

"That's probably what I should have done- hocked a few things, but… it's too late, now," I said.

"It's just incredibly convenient," Jasper said, "You being evicted as quickly as you are is not legally allowable. It's obvious what's happening."

"Believe me I know," I said dropping my head to rest on my arm. I didn't know how I was going to be able to carry anything downstairs with my side hurting like this.

"Bella, dear, have you put any raw meat onto that black eye?" Esme asked from the stove.

"Um, no-"

"Here!" she cried. Before I knew it, I had a slab of raw steak slapped to my eye. "It'll help bring the swelling down."

"Thanks Mom, that was tomorrow night's dinner," Edward said. Everyone laughed.

During the entire conversation with Jasper, Edward held my hand. After we finished eating and the dishes were cleared, Emmett and Jasper huddled together in the living room obviously discussing my situation. They were both partners at the same law firm and were _very_ good at what they did. During breakfast I had learned that Rosalie was a pediatrician in private practice, Alice was a personal shopper for the local Nordstrom's in Seattle, Carlisle was a surgeon at St. Joseph's and Esme was a partner in an interior decorating firm. To put it mildly, Edward was part of an intimidating family. I was an out-of-work lawyer who had been beaten and evicted from her home, all in the same day. I felt woefully inadequate.

With his smiling family around him, Edward opened his birthday presents-every gift was incredibly beautiful and obviously very expensive.

As Alice helped Edward move his gifts to his bedroom, Emmett picked me up and he, Jasper and I went out to the balcony to enjoy the sunshine. _Right_. They grilled me with questions about the eviction and a few about Standish case. I felt as though I was giving testimony at trial.

We were all lazing around the apartment talking all morning. In the late afternoon, going out to lunch became the topic of discussion.

"Let's go to Toot's, they've got the best buffalo wings!" Emmett said. My stomach lurched.

"No, I don't think we should go there," Edward said.

Sam was probably shitting bricks about where I was.

"No. Way." Rosalie was saying. "I've seen the way you look at those waitresses in those little black shorts-"

"I second that," Esme said, smiling. "It's Edward's birthday, it's his choice."

"Let's have Mexican," Edward said. "The Le Reigna on Pearcy Street in Tacoma sounds good."

Mexican food. That was safe. None of those servers knew me.

Everyone began to gather their things and head out the door in almost a procession like manner. I couldn't help but smile. "Here, Bella," Alice said, handing me her pair of Jackie O sunglasses. "This will cover up your black eye."

"Thanks," I said. "But what about you?"

"I've got an extra pair in the car."

The procession moved downstairs and broke off into couples as everyone went to their cars. "Edward?" I asked as he carried me downstairs, "Would you mind if we stopped at my job so I tell Sam what's going on?"

"Of course Bella," he said as he helped me into his car. "Come on."

We lost the rest of his family in traffic and stopped off at Toot's. "Hi, Sam," I said, limping into the empty bar.

"Bells?" Sam cried in shock. "What happened to you? I sent Emily over to check on you, and she found an eviction notice on the door to your place!"

"I found out the hard way how serious this case I took on is," I said. "It seems that the company I'm suing also owns the rental agency for my apartment building." I slid off the sunglasses Alice had given me. "They reminded me of it last night. Twice."

"Jesus Christ!" he cried, grabbing my chin to get a better look at my black eye, "Are they involved with the mob?"

"Well from what I've seen I think they're worse," I said, shrugging. "They broke one of my ribs, too."

"So that means no lifting heavy trays for a while, huh?"

"Yeah," I said. "I'm unemployable, I guess."

"You can take on the hostess job for a while. I don't think Jennifer would mind moving up to server," he offered.

"No, that's Okay," I said.

He kissed my cheek and hugged me, gingerly. To be fair, I knew Sam had had a crush on me for years, so I hugged him back, braless, just to give him a cheap thrill for later. "You take care of yourself I'll call you later or you call me when you feel better and can lift things," he said. "Do you need any help clearing out your place tomorrow? I'll pay the guys to come and help."

"You're the best," I said, throwing myself into his arms. "Thanks, Sam."

"Take care, Bells," he said, hugging me, again, gingerly.

Helping me back into the car Edward and I drove off to the Mexican restaurant.

"I'm sure your family thinks I'm a giant-homeless, trouble making whore, now," I muttered.

"Hardly," he scoffed, "If you knew more about my family you would understand how none of that really matters. Knowing them, they were nervous and concerned that_you _were embarrassed."

"Even Emmett?"

"Yeah, even Emmett," he smiled, "Emmett tends to act goofy in uncomfortable situations. Rose is just bitchy. Don't mind her."

"I see," I said.

"No, you really don't," he said. "I can almost guarantee you that at this very moment they are in the back of his jeep having a quick round of hot angry hate sex while they wait for us to arrive."

I mentally cringed, "But you grew up with Emmett, didn't you?"

"It's a long story, but Rose and Jasper moved into our house when I was almost thirteen," he said.

"So they… hooked up with each other?"

"Yeah, they all did their best to hide it, but Carlisle and Esme aren't stupid, not by a long shot. Eventually either Esme, Carlisle or both walked in on them having sex. After it was obvious that it wasn't a _one time_ thing, they sat them all down," he snickered. "and made sure they were being responsible and practicing safe sex. After that talk, they let them share rooms because it was a given. Trust me, what happened this morning- that was a drop in the bucket compared to everything Esme and Carlisle have seen."

I laughed, but it hurt my rib cage.

"After all these years they never walked in on me –ever. I guess that today was an appropriate day," he said grinning.

"So, how old are you?

"Twenty-nine." He was only two years older than me. I felt a very strong sense of security knowing that. We pulled into the parking lot. I saw a giant Jeep that was a bastard child between a Jeep and a Hummer. And it was rocking back and forth. "That's Emmett's Jeep. What did I tell you?" I giggled.

As we walked into the restaurant I was expecting tortilla chips, sombreros, paper tablecloths and cheesy music. Instead, I was greeted with subtle tones of brick red and evergreen walls, bronze sconces evenly spaced throughout the room each holding gently flickering tea lights giving the room a warm glow. The tables were set with mustard yellow tablecloths, olive green linen napkins, silverware at each plate setting, and small bouquets of Mexican Hand flowers sat in vases on each table. The maître d' supervised several tables being quickly put together before we were seated. Emmett and Rosalie walked in last, although they probably got here first, their clothes wrinkled and their hair mussed, Rosalie trying to look composed and calm. Emmett had this big, goofy grin on his face.

I was handed a menu with fancy-sounding dishes- they didn't have burritos or tacos or stuff like that.

"I don't know what to get," I said.

"I'll order for you," Edward said. "Anything you hate?"

"Just banana peppers," I said.

The Cullens, in an attempt to keep the lunch conversation family friendly, avoided the law and medicine at all costs.

After lunch, Alice and Rosalie stood up. "Bella, you want to come to the restroom with us? We'll help you walk."

I realized that wasn't a question. Alice grabbed my arm, Rosalie took the other and they dragged me off.

"Okay, so," Rose said. "My brother- are you serious about him?"

"Why do you want to know?" I asked.

"He's been through girl after girl, set up after set up," Rosalie said. "You're not doing him just because you need a place to stay, are you?"

"What Rose means is," Alice said shooting Rosalie a dirty look as we entered the restroom. Even the bathroom was decorated beautifully. Triple marble sinks lined the counter and the only stall was hidden behind a white wooden door. They helped me further into the room and set me down on a green velvet fainting couch.

"You must understand," Alice continued, "We love him. Very much and we don't want to see him get his heart broken. We don't care that he's sleeping with you, we just wanted to get to know you, Bella."

"Oh," I said. "We haven't talked much about it, yet. I mean, he just saved my life and my virtue in the parking garage last night. There's been a lot of flirting going on for a while…"

"And then you started running out of the room whenever he talked to you," Rosalie snorted. "He told Jasper and Emmett, who, thus, told me and Alice." Her heels clicking on the marble as she walked into the stall.

"He had such a crush on you, I'm serious," Alice said grinning, her cheeks turning pink.

"Oh Alice, shut up," Rosalie voice echoed from behind the door.

"No, really, he told Emmett he'd drop everything he was doing when he heard you were visiting your client. He would make up reasons to go and 'check up' on Heath," Alice said, grinning like an excited little kid. "Just to see your 'lovely' face." She cackled and I felt my cheeks turn red. "He's crazy about you!"

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I like you, Bella," Alice said. "I have very good intuition."

"Bullshit," Rose said, emerging from the stall, the toilet flushing. She turned on the water to wash her hands.

"She's only bitter because she lost the family bet on the Cullen Family Fantasy Football league Superbowl," Alice sang, walking over to the stall. "I always win." Before snapping the door closed, Alice stuck her tongue out at Rosalie.

"Because Jasper knows football too well," Rosalie grumbled.

"So, Edward tells me you're all adopted," instantly regretting what I said

"Yeah, we are!" Alice said from the bathroom stall. "I was the first, then Emmett, then Edward. While we were in high school, Rose and Jazz became part of the family."

"But we weren't officially adopted," Rosalie explained, as if it wasn't my business, glowering at me.

"Well, that's… interesting," I said, uncertainly.

"Yeah, when Rose and Jazz's parents died, they originally lived with their grandma, but, you know, that got old fast, since their grandma... you know" Alice said. "She let them stay with us. And the rest is history."

"Our grandmother has Alzheimer's," Rose said.

"Oh, I'm sorry" I said. "How did Edward end up with you?"

"Oh, Edward," Rosalie said. "His mom died from ovarian cancer when he was eight and his Dad began drinking to deal with his pain, he was much older than Edwards Mom, he died from sclerosis of the liver. Carlisle tried his best to save him but the disease had already taken hold. Esme felt kind of responsible for him, so they adopted him."

"Do Esme and Carlisle have their own children?" I asked.

"Esme had a hysterectomy when she was twenty," Rosalie said drying her hands.

"Endometriosis so bad, she was incapacitated for days when she got her period." Alice seemed to be the queen of TMI. She came out of the stall.

"Oh God!" I cried. It made sense why Esme had felt so responsible for Edward.

"Do you have to pee?" Alice asked.

"Yes, actually I do," I said.

"I'll help you," Alice said grinning. "But I'm leaving you there the rest is up to you."

"I think I can manage," I said, groaning as I stood up. "Wash your hands first, please."

"Oh, sorry," she said dancing over to the sink.

"I'll help her," Rosalie said.

Her icy hands grabbed my arm and she assisted me with unbuttoning my pants in a very chilly, efficient way. "I've got it from here thanks," I said, cutting her off. I didn't want her seeing that I had gone commando due to my lack of wardrobe. That would cement my status as a whore.

She left me in the stall.

I reached over and locked the door and pulled down my pants to pee.

"Well, she had her hands full by the time we were all in high school," Rosalie said.

"So the two of you married the men you grew up with?" I asked. I held in my groan as I reach for the toilet paper. My side screamed.

"Oh, we didn't move in with the Cullens until we were fourteen," Rosalie said. "They took us in at the end of eighth grade. Jasper was in Emmett's class in school. They were best friends."

"Mmm-hmm," I said, standing up, tugging my pants back up. I turned, groaning in pain, finally, and flushed the toilet behind me and reached over to unlock the stall. It was very quiet for a moment.

Alice and Rosalie helped me to the sink so I could wash my hands. "You know, I could stay with you and Edward until you can walk on your own, again," Alice offered.

"I'm, fine," I said. "I can almost walk on my own, now."

"Good." Rosalie walked out, leaving me behind.

"Oh, don't mind her," Alice said waving her hand in Rosalie's direction, "She's always been overprotective of Edward in a big-sister way since she moved in with us."

"She doesn't like me," I said.

"Rose doesn't like anybody," she stated. "Not at first, but when she lets you in she is one of the most loyal people you will ever meet."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah, she's like a mother lion protecting her cubs. Plus, she is very good at what she does. She's a very good pediatrician," Alice said, acting as my crutch. "I guess you could call us a blended family. Between the seven of us we've got quite a history. Sometimes, we don't talk about it just to get by, we have met too many judgmental people throughout the years. Life is much easier without everyone knowing the details of our private lives."

"I completely understand that, believe me." I smiled at Alice thinking that the possibility of having a really great friend was right in front, well right under my arm.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Alice and I joined the rest of Edward's family in the lobby of the restaurant. As we walked back to the cars Emmett would occasionally clap his hands, then rub them together while an almost evil smile played across his face, "Ready to be destroyed little brother?"

Edward laughed, "Emmett you say the same thing every year and guess what-"

Emmett cut him off, "This year little brother YOU will be mine," he bellowed pumping his fist into the air as he strapped himself into his jeep. Rosalie gave us an evil smirk. They sped away.

I gave Edward a curious look as we got into his car, "You'll see," he said grinning and pulling out of the parking lot.

We stopped at a paintball field. I sat there watching him suit up in paintball gear, I couldn't help but ask, "This is what Emmett was crowing about? He nodded smiling as he continued to gear up. "I see, is this what you normally do on your birthday, Edward?"

"Yep," he said as he pulled on his gloves and kissed me on the cheek. "Cheer me on when I win." He picked up the paintball gun. I had played paintball a few times with the staff of Toot's and it stung like a bitch when you got hit.

I watched Edward walk away and noticed Esme waving at me from the bleachers set up by the concession stand. Making my way over, I smiled at Esme and sat down. "Here, Bella I got sodas," Esme said, handing me one.

"Thank you Esme," I said, accepting it and taking a sip.

"So, Bella, tell me about yourself," she said.

"Well, I was born in Riverside, California. My dad got a job with the Forks police department, about three hours west of here, so we moved," I said. "My mom left my Dad when I was almost a year old and we went back to Riverside to live with my grandparents. After they died we moved to Phoenix. I lived there until I was seventeen and when my mom got remarried I moved back in with my Dad in Forks. I've lived in this area ever since."

"What made you become a lawyer?" she asked.

"I tell people as a joke it was because of the movie _Erin Brockovitc__h_, but actually it was because of my Dad," I said. "He would tell me stories about what happened on his job- helping people who found themselves in the worst situations and sometimes even defending people with his gun. I know I couldn't do what he does but I knew I could defend people using the skills I have-my words and my brain. Law school was difficult but I worked hard and graduated. I never made the law review but I put everything I had into getting my law degree," I shook my head. "I thought I'd have a job when I got out of school, but things didn't work out that way so, here I am- three months later, no job, no prospects…"

"I see," she said glancing out at her family assembling at the starting line. "Don't give up hope. Sometimes, the worst thing to happen to you can turn out to be the best. Did you know that all of my children were adopted because I had to have a hysterectomy before I was married?"

"Oh," I said, playing dumb, "I knew they were adopted but I never knew the reason."

"Yes. When it happened I thought it was going to be the end of the world. Some people are born to be mothers I am one of those people," she said. "But, things worked out I got my children- and I believe we made a difference in their lives by adopting them instead of leaving them in foster homes. Life isn't what you expect, sometimes, but it can be beautiful."

I smiled. I liked Esme. "So, tell me," I said nudging her shoulder, "… who usually wins at paintball?"

"Oh, it's about even," she laughed, "Unfortunately, where sports are concerned they tend to cheat when they play against each other," she said. "This should be interesting."

The horn went off and the red and blue teams scattered across the field. "Go Edward!" I yelled, clapping. I had never been a cheerleader, either.

The first person who got shot was Carlisle. "Pick on the old guy, why don't cha?" he yelled when Edward and Alice covered him in paint balls. "And I thought I was in shape," he huffed when he got to the stands with Esme and me. Smiling, she handed him her soda patting him on the shoulder, "You are dear, you are." Squeezing her hand he returned the smile and refocused his attention on the game.

"Hey, no fair!" Emmett yelled from the range, apparently they got him- too bad the big guy was an easy target. Rosalie was the only member of the red team left- but she didn't give up without a fight- she got Jasper, and then picked off Edward. It came down to Alice verses Rosalie.

Alice darted around the course. Rosalie couldn't see her without taking her helmet and goggles off.

Finally, when it was obvious Rose lost sight of her, Alice jumped out from a ledge pelting Rosalie with paint while Rosalie screamed in pain. At least I wouldn't be the only one with bruises, now.

"I AM A NINJA!" Alice screamed whipping off her helmet.

Red team won.

"Best two out of three," Emmett grumbled as they came out, taking off the protective gear. Esme,Carlisle, and I went to meet them.

"It's over, Emmett," Edward said. "You have to do my bidding."

"I'd do it for you, anyway, Edward," Alice said, beaming at her victory. "It's your birthday!"

"And that is?" Rosalie asked, taking off her safety glasses.

"We agreed- you all help Bella pack up her things tomorrow," Alice said.

Rosalie's face twisted. "Oh God," she groaned. I might as well have told her she was having a root canal without novocain.

"That's the terms of my birthday wish," Edward said, firmly.

Rosalie stormed off.

"Well, gotta go," Emmett said. "It was nice meet you, Bella. See you tomorrow."

Everyone said good-bye to us. Carlisle and Esme followed Edward and I to the hospital parking garage to pick up my truck. I was happy to see that my truck was still in one piece. I limped over to see if everything was still where I left it, thrilled that I was able to limp on my bum ankle.

Thankfully nothing had been stolen. As I sifted through the paperwork in the cab I noticed Carlisle standing next to me admiring my truck. "It's a great truck, really, Bella. Real craftsmanship, this was built back when things were made to last, huh?" Carlisle asked, as he ran his hand across the hood.

Placing the files in my bag I called out to him, "Carlisle would you mind driving it back to Edwards for me, my ankle is really sore?"

His head shot up, eyes wide in surprise, "Really!"

"Absolutely. Here are the keys," I said. I heard a chuckle come from the front seat of the Mercedes as Esme moved over behind the wheel.

"Meet you back at Edward's house," Carlisle said, starting the engine with a roar. He pulled out.

"Bella, you just made his day," Esme called as she drove away.

After Carlisle and Esme arrived back at Edward's apartment, we relaxed on his couch falling into conversation.

"Bella, were you even aware of the severity of the situation before you agreed to take on this case?" Carlisle questioned, concern marking his face, "I'm only a doctor and I knew the Volturi Group was mob-related before I ever heard of Heath Standish. They know you are all alone and will bury you in enough paperwork to drag this case on for years. You are definitely going to need some help taking on the team of lawyers they assigned to this case."

He was right. What they were doing is a standard big business law department practice. Hell, they had already begun to file motion after motion just to try to get me to back down.

"Believe me Carlisle, I understand, but there isn't an ethical lawyer or firm that will represent Bethany Standish and the rare one that agrees to take her case will charge her a fortune to represent her." I said, "And out of that group they are all aware of the Volturi's mob connections basically because they are connected themselves." I sighed.

"Bella, you need to be careful," Esme said taking my hand in hers.

Edward's arm tightened around my waist.

"Granted, I've only known you for a day but something about you just feels like you're a little too good of a person to take on the Volturi." Carlisle said quietly, "And no offense but you're still a little too green-"

"Too innocent," Esme said. "We're afraid of what dealing with people like the Volturi Group is going to do to you."

I audibly swallowed.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to protect her," Edward said.

"We trust you, son," Carlisle said, patting Edward on the shoulder as he got up from the couch. "We'll see you tomorrow."

"It was lovely meeting you, Bella," Esme said, kissing me on the temple. "Good-night."

Moving past me she hugged Edward and wished him a happy birthday. As his parents left, I began to sort through the paperwork from my car.

"Did you like my family?" Edward asked.

"Yes, yes I did," I said looking up from the pile of papers. "Rosalie is a bit difficult to handle, but… I like them."

"Rosalie will come around," he said as he brushed my hair back out of my face. "I need a shower- my hair looks like I just killed a clown."

"Alright," I said laughing, "Hurry back."

The door to the bathroom clicked shut and I went to the bedroom and took off the blue overshirt he let me borrow and my shoes and socks. I climbed under the covers and began to read more of my notes. A few minutes later I heard the squeak of the water tap being turned off followed by Edward walking out of the bathroom, hair towel-dried, a white towel wrapped around his hips.

"Going to bed already?" he asked.

"Well…not really, but"

"Don't you want dinner?"

I really wasn't that used to eating so much in one day. My stomach felt bloated and full and I felt sluggish. "I'm not used to eating this much."

"We can have a naked dinner," he offered wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. We hadn't had our naked breakfast. "You're able to chew, some, right?"

"Yes," I said.

"I'll make soft food," he said. "Not canned soup, though."

"Alright, let's have a naked dinner," I said.

Reaching over he lifted me from the bed and carried me into the kitchen. Gently placing me in one of the kitchen chairs he walked into the living room and closed all the blinds in the apartment. On his way back to the kitchen he dropped the towel from his waist. _Alright, two can play at this game._ I took off my tank top. I never appreciated going braless before.

"Here, let's even the field," he said smiling as he slid the jeans I was wearing down my legs. "Now, that's much better," he said.

My bruises were getting uglier- even darker than before. I felt like a shabby underling as I sat there watching him sort out pots, pans and dishes, completely naked. I limped over to a chair in the breakfast nook. "Are you feeling alright, Bella?" he asked looking over his shoulder at me as he diced potatoes.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said as I moved into a more comfortable position on the chair. He moved around the kitchen with unpracticed grace and I realized that I loved watching him move. Although I felt guilty, as if I shouldn't be allowed to gaze upon such a creature as he.

"Here," he said, handing me another dose of Tylenol and a glass of water, "This should help." I nodded in thanks and took the pills, grabbing a magazine from the table I skimmed through it while Edward cooked.

"You spoil me," I said as he set down the plates.

"You can make it up to me later," he said, kissing me.

"I promise I will," I said, gazing up at him through my eye lashes. He grinned.

He had made mashed potatoes, meatloaf and soft green beans. "Oh, another full meal!" I sighed.

"Bella, don't you eat three times a day?"

"No," I said. "The cupboards in my kitchen were bare. Except for cat food for Sunny."

"You didn't go on food stamps?" he asked.

"I'm a lawyer for god's sake," I said, picking at the remaining food on my plate, suddenly not hungry. "How often do you see a licensed attorney standing in line for food stamps? How embarrassing would that be?"

"I see," he said. "Pride, huh?"

"Yeah, pride, I guess," I said. I didn't want to tell him about the sixty-thousand in student loans that I'd probably never pay off. I'd never tell him about all the jobs that laughed in my face for being over-qualified and over-educated. I'll probably have to file bankruptcy before my loans hit maturity. What a way to start off my professional life.

"Bella, you know you can stay with me, if you'd like," he said. "We'll find a law firm to help you with all the paperwork and we'll help you get through this." He picked up my utensils and poked a piece of meatloaf with the fork. He lifted it to my mouth and lifted his eyebrow. It was actually pretty good. "How's that?"

"It's delicious," I said, nodding. "Mmm. I'm going to start gaining weight if we keep on having naked dinners."

He got me to eat my entire dinner, despite all the food I had eaten today. I was so full, I needed to sleep. After clearing off the table he carried me into the bedroom and lay down on the mattress beside me. I sat up, gingerly and pressed a kiss to his toned side and caressed his stomach muscles moving my hand slowly down to caress his erection. He stroked my hair. "Stop if it hurts," he said. I nodded. I moved to lay on top of him, my breasts over his hips.

"How does this feel?" I asked, caressing his chest and nipples with the tips of my fingers.

"So good," he said, sighing. I licked, kissed and nibbled my way down his torso to right above his cock. "Can you pull your hair back?"

I remembered that most guys liked watching oral sex, and liked it even more when you looked at them during the act. He helped me pull my hair back into a messy, hand-held ponytail. I carefully moved my body down and took the head of his member into my mouth, flicking the tip with my tongue.

I had given blow jobs before, but it was more of a demand from boyfriends and one-night stands. I kneeled between his thighs and wrapped a hand around the base. It was quite comforting, doing something so intimate to him. I didn't know why.

"Fuck…" he whispered.

Swirling my tongue around I slid him further into my mouth and moaned, wantonly, sucking slightly so he could feel the vibrations of my throat. I had to use my hand at his base because even as far as I could take him in, there were still a few inches left. My mouth was so full, I could barely swallow and my lips felt swollen as I rubbed my tongue back and forth against his cock. The sensation caused his hips to jerk forcing him deeper into my mouth. I had to pull back a little so he didn't choke me. I used my teeth to nibble his tip causing him to groan in delight. I pumped my fist up and down. "Will you come for me?" my voice husky with desire.

He groaned. "Oh, God yes, keep going."

I rubbed his balls, and then took one into my mouth sucking lightly, causing him to cry out. His body trembled. I wasn't sure if he was close or not-although we had had sex I still didn't know all the telltale signs for when he was close to release. I took the other one into my mouth, and teased it a little while pumping his cock and rubbing my thumb over the pre-cum leaking from the tip. I felt little spasms starting and watched as the muscles in his stomach began to clench. Cupping his sack in one hand I returned my mouth to his shaft, taking him as far into my mouth as I could. One hand gripped the sheets below us as the other braided into my hair as he met his release with a deep guttural groan.

His seed was salty and thick as it coated my tongue, his hips bucked as I continued to lick and kiss his throbbing cock causing him to curse and cry out my name.

His head dropped back on the pillow and he exhaled, "That was absolutely wonderful, Bella."

Smiling to myself I carefully moved from between his legs to lay beside him groaning as I did so, and placed a kiss on his lips, "Happy Birthday, Edward."

He chuckled softly. "That was one hell of a present," he said, sitting up and gently placing his hands on my shoulders, "Lay back. One good turn deserves another."

"Edward, really, can we take it easy?" I asked.

"Of course," he said. "Tell me if this hurts," he said, his hand running down between my legs.

I gasped, my ribs expanding and hurting. "Oh!" I groaned.

"Okay," he said placing a kiss above my belly button, "Let's wait on this."

I nodded. I could wait forever for him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

I woke up alone the next morning. Edward had gotten paged in the middle of the night and had to go into work. I sat up and groaned as my sore body reminded me of the beating I took. Sighing, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood slowly, holding on to the footboard of the bed, just in case. Looking down I noticed that my ankle was almost back to normal size and I was able to put my weight on it and walk with just a little bit of soreness. It was a very pretty pale of purple.

I took a quick shower; the shower stall seemed huge without him in it with me. Wrapping a towel around myself I walked over to the vanity mirror, wiping away the condensation that had formed during my shower I stood there staring at the wreckage that was my face. The skin around my eye was discolored and I had a bruise and a scrape on my jaw. I examined my body and saw that my sides had been bruised and scraped in a few areas. I decided not to dwell on it-eventually it would all heal.

I pulled a pair of Edward's jeans and a shirt from his closet and placed them on the bed. I had gone commando yesterday because my clothes were in the wash, so as I slipped on my clean underwear I felt somehow comforted. As I dressed, I noticed a huge, lumpy bruise on my ass. _Great_, I thought bitterly, _at least I have a matched set, goes with my face._

In the kitchen, I tried to find something simple for breakfast, like cereal, but Edward didn't have any in the house. I decided on eggs, instead. As I went to pull open the refrigerator door I noticed a note in Edward's elegant scrawl pinned to the fridge with a magnet.

_Bella,  
I'll be home in plenty of time to take you to your apartment.  
~Edward_

I sat down to eat. I was almost done as the front door opened, and Edward came through. "Bella?" he asked.

"Good morning," I said as he shed his jacket and sat across from me.

"Your apartment's going to be opened up in an hour," he said. "Do you want to get going?"

"Yeah," I said finishing my eggs and placing my dish in the sink. "My ankle isn't as bad as it was. I think I'll be able to drive."

"It'll help having a few cars there," he said, rubbing my back. "How are you feeling?"

"Good. Better," I said smiling up at him, "I can finally walk."

"I'm glad to hear it, I called everyone on my way home," he said brushing a stray hair behind my ear, "They promise they'll all be there."

"Even Rosalie?"

"Yes, even Rose."

* * *

I pulled my truck into the parking lot of my old apartment building; with my ankle wrapped tightly I could drive just fine. I watched in my rearview mirror as Edward's clean, shiny car pulled in behind me. I noticed small moving van parked in front of my building and Emmett was sitting in the driver's seat, his PDA to his ear. He waved when he saw me getting out of my truck.

I noticed a group of the bartenders from Toot's standing by the front of the van talking with Jasper.

"I hope you're not shy about your things," Alice said, bouncing up beside me out of nowhere, grinning, holding a stack of boxes and packing tape. "We know how to pack like gang busters- whenever Dad got a job out of state we all became professional movers!" she smiled at her joke, "It may be a little disorganized, but we'll get it packed and out."

"I'm so glad you're here," I said giving her a small hug.

"Oh!" she cried, waving a Victoria's Secret bag at me, "Since you had to go commando all day yesterday these are for you." she said, winking handing me the bag.

I opened it up to see at least five pairs of lacy, skimpy panties and two underwire-free push-up bras to match. "How'd you know?" I cried, my cheeks flaming.

"Well, Rose said she didn't see any on you when she helped you in the bathroom. I assumed you were a 34C," she said. "Hope they fit! A lot of girls in the mall want my job and will kiss my ass to get it."

"Well... thanks," I said, remembering my manners. I had never had anybody buy me trashy, sexy lingerie before. I wondered what Edward would think of it.

"Hi," Emily said, shyly, coming up behind me after I stashed the lingerie in my truck.

"Thank you so much for coming!" I cried, hugging her. My side wouldn't let me hug her too hard.

"Sam's paying us to help you," she said, winking. I couldn't help grinning back.

I limped up the stairs to my old floor. My landlords were waiting at the top of the stairs. "Hi, Bella," one said. "I'm really sorry about this. Got orders from up above."

"I know."

"Personally, it looks like you've got a group of really good friends," he said, nodding at the moving van. "Off the record, hope you get everything."

He unlocked the apartment. It had been ransacked. I clapped my hands to my face. Edward's hands rested on my shoulders, lightly. "Where is Rose?" Edward grumbled.

"I'm right here." Rosalie stepped into the apartment behind him.

"Then get packing!" Edward snapped.

Before I knew it, most of my things were being sorted into boxes and carried downstairs. We only had about three hours, but my old landlords promised me an extra one and even helped us pack. Esme, Alice, Rose and Emily packed like professionals while I attempted to help. The larger items were moved out by the men. When they were finished with the heavy lifting they began loading the smaller boxes into the van, my apartment was packed up in record time- it was almost empty by the time the landlords had to lock back up.

"Well, it looks like your deposit's going to cover the rent you missed. You got just about everything," my landlord told me.

"Here," I said, handing over my keys.

"Like I said, I'm sorry, Bella," he said.

"Yeah, me too," I said, sighing. I really wasn't.

Right as I was about to get in the car, I saw Rose running down the steps holding a squirming orange bundle. "I got it!" she shouted. "Bella, here!" She tossed a meowling Sunny at me.

"Baby!" I cried running my hand through her fur. Sunny looked up at me and started purring, cuddling into me.

"Me-owf?"

"We gotta get out of here," Edward said as a shiny Saab was pulling into the parking lot. "Come on."

We pulled up in front of a storage facility downtown. Edward convinced me to rent a storage space until I got on my feet again. As Edward and I filled out the paperwork Emmett, Jasper, Carlisle and the guys from Toot's moved my furniture into the unit for me. I was surprised at how good the Cullens were at packing and moving. The things I was taking to Edward's apartment, my clothes, papers and my law books were loaded into the trunk of his car. After they finished loading the space up I stepped back to look at my things and felt even more inadequate when I saw that all of my earthly possessions fit in such a tiny space.

"his was full day!" Edward said wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing the top of my head, distracting me from my own self-pity, "I'm making my special recipe fajitas for you for dinner."

"Right," I said. "Let's take Sunny to her new home."

After thanking Emily, the guys from Toot's and the rest of the Cullens for their help, Edward and I made our way back to his place.

Sunny was practically turning back flips in the cab of my truck before we got to Edward's house. I let her loose in the garden to play with the other kitties that ran around it, too. Edward and I went indoors. "Are you at home with me?" Edward asked.

"Yes, very," I said.

After a good, very filling naked dinner and post-dinner sex, I got a hysterical call from Ang. She and Jake heard that I got evicted from one of Jake's old friends from Toot's. "Why didn't you call me? Will you come home to Forks, finally?"

"No, I've got stuff going on here," I said. "I really can't."

"But, Bella, you're homeless!" she cried. "You can always crash on our couch!"

"I've got a couch to crash on," I said. I meant more like a bed, a bathtub and naked meals with an amazing man who loved children and made saving their lives his career. Not to mention, he was very, very good at sex, too. "It's very nice couch. I'll fill in the details in an email." I had a lot to tell her- about Edward, mostly. "But please don't tell Charlie what's going on, please. I don't want him or Renée worrying about me."

"Oh, alright. Just call me if you need anything, and I'll come to Seattle to get you, Okay?"

"Okay."

"Pinkie swear?"

"Pinkie swear."


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

I waited until my face looked better to go see Heath and Bethany. The raw meat on my eye helped out a lot, I'd have to thank Esme for that. I ended up using concealer to cover up the more stubborn bruises.

From our seats at the kitchen table we heard someone knocking on the front door then Alice's voice floated through, "Edward, Bella? Hey, are you guys decent?" she yelled.

"Are we decent?" Edward asked grinning.

"We're dressed, if that counts." I smiled back. He was wearing green hospital scrubs. I was still in my pajamas.

"Come on in, Alice," Edward said rising from the table to greet her with a kiss on her forehead. They walked side by side back into the kitchen Edward placed a small kiss on my lips saying, "I have to finish getting ready." I nodded smiling.

"Hello," she sang, dancing into the kitchen and gracefully plopping into Edwards seat across from me, "It's a pretty day, isn't it? I just thought I'd just come by and spend some time with you and see if you needed any help. My first client doesn't come in until three."

"That's very sweet of you Alice," I said. "But, I can walk on a cane, now."

Strapping his watch to his wrist as he walked back into the room, "I'm going to go," he said, kissing me. "Have a good day ladies."

"You too Edward," we said in unison then laughed.

After he left, Alice stood up. "Come on, get dressed," she said.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"To see Mr. Frederique," she replied eyes wide.

"Let me guess, for manicures and pedicures?" I joked. "Because you're not cutting my hair."

"Ironically... He's my bikini waxer."

I paused. "No way! I'm in enough pain already!"

"You'll love the way you look after this," she said. "Where's the present I gave you?"

"Present? Oh, in my truck," I muttered, "Buried under papers and clothes and God knows what else. Don't bother looking for it."

"Be right back!" she sang dancing out of the room this time.

Alice was cute, had a bubbly personality and was funny. She didn't seem to care that I was completely broke and homeless. I could see myself becoming friends with her.

She came back up a few moments later with the Victoria's Secret bag, looking a little worse for wear: the bag definitely not Alice. With the bag dangling from her wrist she ordered me to get dressed we had an appointment. I realized I had no choice.

As she drove us to the salon we talked about 'girl stuff', it was nice just to sit back and talk to a woman my age for a change. Pulling up in front of the salon, Alice handed the valet her keys and told him to take care of her 'baby.' We walked arm and arm into a pretty little salon decorated in a tropical theme. I went to find us seats as Alice checked us in for our appointments.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" Alice asked as they called my name.

"No, that's okay," I said, feeling a little weird.

"Okay, I'll wait here." she said flipping through as magazine.

I limped into the private room where an incredibly flamboyant gay man greeted me and instructed me to strip from the waist down; assuring me with a wave of his hand that it wasn't anything he hadn't seen before. I tried to get my jeans off but it was a little too much, the ache in my side still making it hard to bend over. He stood there watching me struggle, a look of concern crossed his face, "I can't help you undress, legally," he said, sighing, "I'll go get Alice." I nodded trying to hide my mortification.

Alice came into the tiny room. "Okay," she said, diving for me. "Let's get these off." She slid my jeans further down my legs, "Oh my God, girl!" she cried, as the purple bruises on my legs were revealed. "They really did a number of you, huh?"

"What happened?" Mr. Frederique squealed, overly concerned. I think.

"I was in an accident," I mumbled the lie.

Turning to Alice with his hands on his cheeks he said, "Your beautiful brother isn't beating her is he?"

"On the contrary, he was the doctor who treated me," I said, stepping gingerly out of my panties and getting up onto the table.

"Florence Nightengale syndrome!" he announced proudly, "But I have seen her brother and any reason would be a good reason to get with him, girl." Rolling my eyes I nodded again. "Well, have you ever done this before?" He asked while rolling a small wheeled tray over to the table.

"Nope," I said.

"Oh boy," he groaned.

"Lay back and relax," Alice instructed.

Holding up a small bottle of liquid and he squirting a drop on his hands he said, "This is a numbing agent, this will help take the edge off the sting," he explained as he rubbed the liquid over my pubic hair. I wonder if it's possible for someone to die of embarrassment. It numbed me a little bit, but not entirely. "We've got a lot to take off. Do you want the American, the landing strip, or the Full Brazilian?"

"Well, what's the difference?" I asked.

"The American waxing just takes this off," he said sprinkling baby powder all over me, and indicated the tops of my thighs, the sides and my "happy trail," as if I had one. "The Landing Strip is about two or three fingers wide and barely covers you from here to here." He indicated the top of my cleft downwards. "And the Full Brazilian takes it all off."

I read somewhere that being completely bare heightened your pleasure during sex. Making love to Edward was already mind blowing so this could only make it a more erotic and exciting prospect. "Let's go for the Full Brazilian."

"That's pretty ambitious," Alice said, her eyes widening.

"I'm an all-or-nothing kind of girl," I said, shrugging.

"Alright," Alice said, "Your funeral."

Mr. Frederique started waxing off all my hair- I had underestimated how badly it would hurt. I howled and screamed. "Okay, is it over?" I asked, panting. I was completely bare, looking down.

"We only got the front half, darling. Lift up your leg," he said. Oh shit. "So, tell me- are you having really, really good sex with Alice's brother?"

"Oh yuck! I don't want to hear about that!!" Alice cried.

"Alice, earmuffs," I said. "Yes, I am. Amazing sex."

"That's so good to hear!" he cried.

"Hey, I'm doing my part," Alice said, holding my hand. "Edward better be happy with this!"

"So, what's your favorite position?" he asked.

Alice seized up. "I can't do a lot because I've got a broken rib," I said. "Being on top is agonizingly painful, but he's still really, really good at the missionary. We try to do other positions, but it hurts my broken rib so right now we're sticking to the basics. I can't wait until I'm all healed so we can have sex in lots of different positions and locations." I snorted.

"Okay, please have mercy," Alice said, cutting me off. "You know, I'm thrilled to know that you and my brother are enjoying each other, but I don't want details. It's even better knowing that Edward's found someone that supports him."

"Supports him how Alice?" I asked.

"Oh…" Alice said. "Long story." At that very moment, Mr. Frederique tore more wax from my skin, I gasped, covering my mouth to hold back a scream. "How about I buy you a coffee after this?" I nodded as fresh tears rolled down my cheeks.

* * *

I wasn't sure I could sit down, but I did, carefully. "Okay, Alice, what's the deal with Edward?"

"He told you his father died of liver sclerosis, didn't he?" she asked. "Granted, Edward senior was sober when he married and had his son, but after she died he drowned his sorrows in alcohol and when the sickness showed itself it was already too late."

"I noticed he doesn't drink," I said.

"Well, his mom died from ovarian cancer, so that's why Esme adopted him," she said. "They were friends, too, she kind of felt like she had to. He was a good addition to our family, though."

"Oh, Okay," I said, thinking she was done.

"That's not all of it," Alice said. "When he came to live with us, we were the rich kids around town. We had a lot offered to us. When Jazz and Rose came to stay, it was Jazz and me and Emmett and Rose. Edward was alone- physically, I mean. Granted, there aren't many secrets in our family. Never were. He's had lovers- he lost his virginity in high school, I guess in an attempt to keep up with us. He always had girlfriends over, but it just wasn't quite the same. We all got into drinking and acting out with the wrong crowd, because Esme and Carlisle gave us everything, sort of out of guilt that we had lost our parents or hadn't had great early childhoods, so we were a little wild. We weren't too bad, we just drank and smoked a lot of pot. We got caught a few times, but they didn't let it go easily, either. By senior year the novelty wore off and Jasper wanted to give it up, so I did, too. Edward, Rose and Emmett didn't and finally Esme and Carlisle laid down the law, and made it harder for them to do it, but you know, making it harder doesn't stop a kid. Well, college finally rolled around for Edward and he attended the same University as Rose and Emmett. Rose got sick of getting messed up all the time when she pledged Chi Omega, so it was just Emmett and Edward, getting smashed all the time with their friends. We all tried to warn them that history was repeating itself- and then there was an accident."

"An accident?"

"Yes. It was just twisted luck, a few of their friends went out drinking and there was a car accident, Edward and Emmett were the only ones that hadn't gone out with them that night. They all died in the wreck," Alice said. "Emmett immediately gave it all up, but it took Edward a little while longer. Then, he decided to become doctor, like Carlisle."

"He's never told me these things," I said.

"Maybe it's because he didn't want to scare you off," she said. "Most of the girls he dated said they'd stop drinking, but then they actually start doing it behind his back. Emmett has a difficult time with it, especially- he has to privately bribe the waiters at the restaurants he goes to with the partners not to serve him alcohol but make it look like they are."

"Is Edward expecting me not to drink?"

"I think it would be best if you abstained, yes. He's given up asking girlfriends to go sober with him, but... if you're really serious about him..."

I nodded. I had never really been a big drinker and having to serve big drinkers at Toot's, who acted like asses after one too many made the bottle a little less thrilling. I had done my fair share of drinking and smoking when I was underage, I knew I wasn't missing anything new.

"You know, this subject is depressing, Bella. Let's get some FMP's."

"I'm afraid to ask," I groaned, "FMP's, Alice?"

"Fuck-Me-Pumps!" she replied. "Every girl needs a pair of shoes that make her look beautiful, sexy and dangerous. The pair of shoes that say, 'I'm a bad-ass and you know you want me more than any other girl in the room.' Don't you have a pair?"

"No," I said.

Grabbing my hand and pulling me up from the table she said, "Let's find you a pair of shoes that you'd look great in naked!"

* * *

The next few weeks went pretty well. I worked on the case and gathered witnesses during the day while Edward worked. Edward enjoyed my new wax job and fuck-me pumps; once I learned how to walk in them without injuring my ankle, again. He liked fucking me while I was completely naked except for the shoes.

My rib finally healed and I was able to go back to work, since funds were starting to run short. Sam was thrilled to have me back and had me work as hostess the first three weeks, but then I went back to waitressing.

Edward usually woke me up when he got home from work and we would make love or have hot monkey sex depending on our moods.

In the mornings, Edward and I would have breakfast together, sometimes even showering together. Not having to pay rent and utilities helped me get a head-start on paying off my student loans. Most of my money went towards getting germ samples cultivated, documents faxed, copied, etc. It was hard work and I was usually exhausted on my day off, but it was worth it.

* * *

Fall began to settle around us as the trees turned from green to red, brilliant gold and amber. The only way Heath could enjoy the season was through his hospital window.

The poor kid was hanging on by a thread. And Edward was that thread.

Edward had bought me a can of pepper spray to take with me whenever I was walking to my car by myself at night- not that any of the guys at Toot's would let me walk alone.

The amount of hard work I was doing didn't phase me until I got sick with a miserable head cold the week of a settlement hearing before the judge.

"I don't understand, your Honor," Heidi announced, "My client has authorized me to raise the settlement offer to fifty-thousand dollars which will be made as a donation towards Mr. Standish's medical bills."

"I'm sorry, your Honor, but as I've explained to counsel on numerous occasions that amount is hardly going to be enough to cover my client's bills," I said, almost laughing aloud, dabbing at my nose with a tissue. My stomach gurgled. "My client is dying. His mother lost her job because he's constantly in and out of the hospital. She wouldn't be so far in debt if the defendant just honored the terms of the contract. The only offer I have been given permission to accept by my clients is the payment of the entire medical bill. Let's start there. Anything less than that is unacceptable and his medical bills are growing by the day."

As I passed by the defendant's table I heard one of her assistants, Demetri, whisper, "That chick has some balls."

I raised an eyebrow to him to indicate that I wasn't amused and sat at my table awaiting the judge to make a ruling._ Yes, in fact,_ I smiled to myself- _I did have some cohunes._ He glowered back to just tell me that he wasn't threatened at all by me.

"Ladies," the judge's deep voice rang through the courtroom, "I will consider your arguments and re-read the motions before me and have a ruling for you by the end of the week."

"Thank you your Honor," we said in unison as we stood to leave.

"You better watch your back," a young lawyer said into my ear after it was over. I remembered his name vaguely- Alec Giordino.

"Listen, Shorty, do what you will, but you're still not going to scare me off from this case," I said walking from the courtroom.

"Careful," he hissed, "You're really pretty. I'd hate to see something bad happen to your beautiful face." I watched as he merged into the group of VGI attorneys as they entered the elevator.

"Sawed off little prick," I mumbled to myself.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up to the shrill ringing of my phone.

"Uh, hullo?" I said sleepily.

"Bella, did you know that there's a story about us in the paper?" Bethany asked.

"No," I said, sitting up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Yeah, it's wonderful. The reporter wrote about how you're taking on the Volturi Investment Group," she said. "And about how it's a David and Goliath fight for my son's life. I'm surprised you didn't know about it!"

"No!" I cried whipping the covers from my body, "I'll be there soon!"

I dressed quickly and ran down to the local newsstand for a copy of _the Seattle Times_. The story wasn't front-page news, but there I was on page 5, walking into Toot's in uniform and school pictures of Heath before he got sick at the top of the column. _David and Goliath fight for Boy's Life; Real Life Rainmaker fights the System_ by Tyler Crowley.

I almost felt sick- the entire legal community and everyone Edward knew was seeing me in my _Hey, Look At Me, I'm wearing a Sexy Waitress_ uniform.

I was proud, though, once I finished it. This journalist did a good job finding out a lot about Heath, Bethany and me without doing a single interview- they even exposed that I was evicted for 'being kind to a stray cat' conveniently leaving out that I had been two hundred dollars in the hole with my landlord and using candles. He also explained that I had been employed until the greedy new firm took over and cancelled my employment before I was out of law school. The Volturi group was not portrayed in a kind light. I smiled to myself- at least that fact that I am a hard-working unemployed attorney, trying to make ends meet was made perfectly clear by the writer.

I was interrupted by a call from Emmett. "Bella, have you read _The Times_? This was just the attention the case needed."

"I know, Emmett!" I replied.

"I wanted to let you know that the senior partners of my firm want to offer you an associate position at our firm- starting pay a hundred thousand."

"Emmett, you're kidding!" I cried. "This is a dream come true!"

"They want to meet with you on Friday for lunch."

"Really?" I squealed.

"Yes, really. Hey, are you busy now? Why don't you, Jasper and I meet for lunch? My treat."

"That's great Emmett, see you soon." We set our plans on where to meet.

By the time eight o'clock rolled around, I was getting calls from law firms all over Washington State. Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, down to Olympia and even Portland wanting to hire me on as an associate. I thanked them and informed them that I had several offers to consider and would contact them either way.

I had two hundred dollars in my bank account- I wanted to do something nice for this writer Tyler Crowley- the VIG would have him in their sites, now, he was risking his life. Flowers were too girly. I looked up his MySpace, and found out that he was a huge Mariners fan. Clicking over to the Mariner's web site I bought two tickets to the upcoming Mariners/Royals game, had them sent to his address at the newspaper and wrote him a thank you note.

When Edward came home that night, we wasted no time over dinner.

"God, Bella," he said, hugging me. "You're a celebrity, now."

"Please Edward, this story will be staring at the bottom of a bird's cage tomorrow," I said, rolling my eyes. "But at least more people have been made aware of what the Volturi are doing to Heath." I slipped my hands down to his butt cheeks giving them a little squeeze. God, I loved his ass.

He lifted the hem of my top up my body and I happily raised my arms so he could slip it over my head. I was wearing one of the bras Alice had bought me. The girls looked pretty good in it. He threw my top to the floor and his lips crashed into mine.

"You're so beautiful," he muttered, his hands unbuttoning my skirt.

He kissed me hard again, his tongue slipping into my mouth. Just his kisses took my breath away. "Bella," he whispered, slipping my skirt off. Luckily for me, I had worn the matching light blue lace boy shorts that went with the bra. Our mouths melded, again. I felt his hand slip behind my back and my bra came unhooked. I assisted him with removing it. He took both of my breasts into his hands, lifting them up to meet his mouth. He lowered his head to get to them and I arched my back so giving him better access. My nipple hardened in his mouth while he circled the areola with his tongue.

"That feels so good," I muttered, wrapping a leg around his thigh. He gripped my ass and lifted me up. I was able to hold onto him and wrap my other leg around him. He straightened up, taking my nipple back into his mouth. I pushed the other one in out of frustration. I could feel my panties getting damp. "Dr. Cullen, you have on way too much clothing," I purred.

"Hm," he said, "Well that won't do." He set me down then slid my panties down my legs and unbuttoned his shirt. I helped him take it off and began working on his pants. For some blessed reason, he had gone commando today. I ran the flat of my hand over his cock, which was already hard. "Bella," he muttered. "You trust me, don't you?"

"Uh-huh."

He turned me around by the hips and slipped his fingers down my cleft. His cool, soft, lean fingers rubbed circles into my clit and he pressed my butt against his hips. I moaned, feeling his hardness. "Oh God, that feels so good," I said, reaching up behind myself to run my fingers through his hair. I leaned my head back on his shoulder, guiding his head down to kiss me.

"Bella, you trust me?" he asked, his breath tickling my ear.

"Yes," I said.

"Can you put your foot up on the counter?"

"If I can bend over the table, I can," I said. He helped me press my torso onto the table, and he took my left leg and lifted it onto the kitchen counter. It was an almost uncomfortable stretch, but I was capable of it. I couldn't see him, but I felt his hand graze my inner thigh. I shivered and tried to stay still, but his hand traveled up to my core. His fingers traced through my wet folds, agitating the bundle of nerves causing goose bumps to break out across my skin. I dropped my head to the table. I couldn't move or I'd probably hurt myself and/or him. His fingers pinched my clit, causing me to cry out.

"Calm down," he whispered. My heartbeat sped up, causing me to shiver and pant. He rubbed my clit between his fingers, rolling it around. He patted my ass cheek with his other hand. "Bella, trust me- I said I'd never hurt you. Trust me."

The tip of his cock teased my entrance. I tensed up at the contact.

"You're too tight," he said, kneading my bundle of nerves. "Relax."

I moaned softly and took my lower lip between my teeth. I tried to relax my muscles. I felt his finger enter me and move around stretching me to accommodate his length. "That's better," he whispered. "Arch your back a little more."

I arched my lower back lifting my ass higher. His large hand was placed on my lower back as he entered me, painstakingly slow. His cock was big enough that it hurt, especially at this angle. "Oh God!" I hissed at the sensation. His fingers holding my clit didn't let go until he was all the way inside.

He stayed inside me his hands resting on my butt before he pulled out and rammed back in. I gasped as the breakfast nook table hit the wall with a thunk. The ridges from the veins of his member rubbed against my walls, causing a delicious friction. He pulled out slowly and pushed into me again with new force, causing a slapping sound when his hips met my ass. It was exquisite torture, the pleasure was so much it brought tears to my eyes. He started to speed up, my leg started to tremble beneath me. He reached around my hips and took my clit back in between his fingers, rolling it again. I screamed out in a mixture of pleasure and sweet agony as he began to pulse inside me.

"Oh God, Edward, Edward, Edward, Yes! Yes!" I chanted as my release came closer. I ground my teeth, feeling the height of the orgasm. "Shit, Ungh!" I cried out. He shoved into me one more time and then met his release with a grunt. I groaned, and felt his hand run down my left leg that was propped up. He helped me take it down so I could completely lay my torso down on the table. We spent a few quiet moments in this position as we caught our breath, placing a kiss on the middle of my back he picked me up and carried me into the bedroom, snuggling with me under the blankets.

"Bella," he said, softly.

"Hum huf?" I replied into the pillow, still trembling and exhausted. I hoped to hear him say, I love you.

"You will always be taken care of when we're together," he said, softly, stroking my hair.

That would do.

For now.

Sometime in the night, I heard my phone ring. I got up out of bed, dashing to get it. It was Charlie.

He immediately blew up- "You're homeless? Bells, how the hell could you not tell me this!?" he yelled.

"I'm safe, Dad, I promise," I said. I looked down at myself. I was completely naked in Edward's living room. And completely secure.

"Bella?" Edward asked, coming into the living room. I held my fingers up to lips to shush him and mouthed _it's my dad_.

"Where are you staying?" Charlie barked.

"With a friend," I said. "Edward Cullen. He's a doctor."

"You can't stay with him!" he cried. I had never moved in with a boyfriend before. As far as Charlie knew, I was still a virgin. "No!"

"Dad, it's okay. We're both consenting adults," I said. "He was kind enough to offer me a place to stay, I have my own bedroom and the building has good security."

"You're killing me!" he said. He changed tones. "Bells, you can always come home."

"That's really sweet Dad, but how could I do my job?" I asked, "Being a lawyer isn't the type of job that can be done from a distance, especially without a staff."

"I wish you would have told me," he said. "I don't know who these thugs are- they're not going to hurt you at all."

"They won't Dad, I promise," I said.

We ended the phone call with our usual _talk to you later_ and_ I love you_.

* * *

I was working a weeknight shift at Toot's which translates into a very slow night. It was so slow that Sam let me work bar.

A lone man sat at the end of the bar all night, nursing a Miller High Life. "Can I get you anything else?" I asked.

"You're a really pretty, sweet girl," he said. "I feel like I could talk to you about things."

I smiled, although I really didn't want to listen to this drunken man's life story it was part of being a bartender and this was why I didn't tend bar too often.

"I could tell you what happened to my sister, Dee Dee," he said. I rested my chin on my fist, listening to him. "She worked so hard for ten years as a secretary for the Volturi Investment Group in Portland." My ears pricked up, NOW he had my full attention.

"The Volturi Group, really?" I asked.

He nodded, sipping his beer. "The cops found her in her car; it was wrapped around a tree and on fire. They were able to pull her out but it was already too late. Only thing was, she had a blunt head injury on the back of her skull."

"Can you gimmie a sec?" I asked. "I'll be right back." I ran into the office. "Sam, I have to get off right now!"

"It's slow, have you done all the closing up list?"

"Yes," I said.

"Then you can clock out," he said.

I clocked out and Embry and I split up the tip jar. I changed from my uniform into a pair of yoga pants and sweater and sat down beside my new buddy. "Hi, I don't think I introduced myself," I said.

"I know who you are," he said. "You're Isabella Swan. I'm Harry Clearwater."

"Hi," I said shaking his hand, "Do you mind if I take notes?"

"No, go right ahead," he said nodding.

"Embry, can you pour another High Life for Mr. Clearwater, my treat? And a Sprite for me?" Embry saluted and a fresh, frosty glass was set down in front of Harry and a Sprite was set down in front of me.

"I've been here a few nights, watching you. I thought… I thought you'd like to see something I have," Harry said.

He opened up his briefcase and brought out a huge book. "This. Here- it was Dee Dee's. It's the Employee Handbook for Volturi Investment Group employees. The real one." I gasped. I felt like a child at Christmas as he handed it to me. This was going to be of great, great use to me. As I thumbed through it I noticed extra sections that weren't in the one given to me by the VGI attorneys. "I have more of these. Dee Dee asked me to hold them before she died."

"She knew someone was after her?"

"Yes. She ran for and hid for a few months. She got a bit frantic. She started giving away her stuff. She literally sneaked this stuff into my house," he said. "I've got tons of these."

I nodded. "Why are you doing this?"

"The Police called Dee Dee's death a suicide. I know better," he said. "I know who's really responsible for her death."

"Thank you so much, Harry. Would you mind giving me your number so we can meet and I can get a look at the rest of the documents?" I asked.

"No problem, Miss Swan," he said taking a swig of his beer, "If you can put these Volturi guys in their place maybe then Dee Dee will rest in peace. And that little Standish boy might get a chance to live."

"I'll try my best Harry."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

The next morning, my alarm clock blasted me out of bed and instead of grabbing breakfast I found myself rummaging through my closet trying to put together the perfect outfit for my lunch appointment-slash-interview with Stillman, Carter, Freedland and Webster.

The radio announcer made sure I was aware of the time, temperature and all the horrible things that went on in the world while I was sleeping. I placed three different outfits on my bed and stepped back to make my choice as the radio continued to play: _In local news investigators are trying to pinpoint the cause of a fire that destroyed Toot's, a popular local restaurant. The Fire Marshall stated that the early morning blaze gutted the entire building and a storage shed located behind the building. The fire was brought under control about 7 a.m, and the cause remains under investigation._

I froze. Toot's had burned down. Oh my God!

I scrambled across the bed grabbing the phone and called Sam, "Sam, what happened?" I asked.

"I don't know Bella, the fire department told me it probably started between three and four am," he said. "Look, Bella, I've got a lot of phone calls to make. Listen, I'll talk to you later, there's somebody on the other line."

I stood there clutching the phone to my chest as a wave of nausea crashed through me, I ran to the bathroom and threw up. After splashing cold water on my face I stared at my reflection, How was I going to present myself professionally and eat lunch with the partners when all I wanted to do was cry? What was everyone else at Toot's going to do for work?

The phone rang and the caller ID told me it was Jasper, "I heard what happened, I know you must feel terrible but don't pass up this opportunity, Bella," Jasper admonished.

"I know Jasper, I'm sick to my stomach and I just can't shake the feeling that this is my fault."

Jasper sighed, "You know as well as I do that you didn't set the fire. And you also probably know as well as I do who did. Just go to the meeting, you don't have to eat, just be there. You will regret it if you don't."

"Alright, alright I'll go. Thanks Jasper."

"Good luck, Bella."

I finished putting on my make up and straightening out my hair before getting dressed.

I wanted so badly to take the ferry across to Tacoma and see the ruins of Toot's, my home away from home, but instead, I went downtown to Chef Wang's Restaurant. I knew in my heart of hearts that it wasn't an accident- the Volturi Group was attempting to scare me by threatening my livelihood, and damage my support system, my friends, in the process.

My meeting with the senior partners went very, very well- it all seemed like a dream come true, despite the horror of Toot's burning down.

They explained my duties as an associate, I would be responsible for a little bit of everything until I found what area of the law I was most suited for, I'd be sharing a legal secretary and paralegal with another associate and I'd have my own office! If I decided to work for them I had to guarantee them three years minimum service and they would pay off my student loans! Plus, I would have sick days, paid vacation days and have access to the company timeshare in the Bahamas if I chose.

"This is all quite wonderful gentlemen," I smiled, "So, what's going to happen to the Standish Case?" I asked.

"We'll turn that over to one of our more experienced lawyers," Freedland said.

I sat back and closed my eyes to contemplate what it all meant- I hadn't gotten my ass kicked and a rib broken because I was a lawyer. I had done it because I felt a connection to Heath and Bethany. I was Heath and Bethany, but I had more student loans and a fancy-schmancy degree. This was one of the firms that wouldn't touch this case before the article had printed with me in my short shorts and the pictures of cute little Heath Standish smiling for his school photos. "I'm sorry gentlemen but I can't do that," I said.

"Ms. Swan, you must understand, we have lawyers on staff who are much more experienced in this field of litigation," Webster said.

"But sir-I have literally given my blood for this case, I want to see this through to the end!"

"We know you do, Bella," Webster said, gently. "You'll be given the opportunity to go to court with defense teams- on occasion."

They wanted me as a lawyer spokesperson. A spokesmodel. _See, we have Bella Swan, the beautiful cocktail waitress who worked her way up from the slums of Forks, Washington to be a lawyer for the little guy!_ I'd stand in front of juries in cute little Donna Karan business suits with short skirts and follow the partners around with briefcases that matched my shoes and I'd smile for the camera and talk about how we won because this was the little guy and that Stillman, Carter, Freedland and Webster was a law firm that wasn't out of touch with the less fortunate tier of society. They didn't want me because I had worked my way through law school, passed the bar the first time I took it, all while working on a complicated case by myself while almost losing everything I had because my job as a waitress didn't cover everything and my ass got kicked for standing up against mobsters for a poor, unfortunate single mother. That meant nothing to them. I was pretty, marketable and looked good for the firm. The realization hit me, every one of the firms that contacted me wanted me simply for those reasons. They wouldn't let me work on the Standish case, even though I had put my life on the line for Bethany and Heath and wanted nothing more than to see Heath survive. If Heath survived or not didn't matter to them.

I had never thought my looks would work against me. I knew it would be foolish of me to turn them down right there- it would be rude and burning bridges.

_Maybe I should consider it, though,_ I told myself. _Maybe that's all I'm good for._

"Thank you for meeting with me gentlemen, this offer is really quite generous," I said shaking their hands, "I have a few more meetings scheduled this week with other firms but I will contact you either way."

* * *

I didn't go home- I went straight to the hospital to see Heath and Bethany after a good cry in my truck.

"I heard you're getting job offers," Bethany said. "That's great!"

"Thanks," I said. I didn't want to ruin her good mood by telling her what had happened at the lunch meeting.

Edward came by to see us. After a quick exam of Heath, we went back to his office to discuss what had happened. He considered that it wasn't good because of my expression and lack of enthusiasm.

The tears ran down my face as I explain to him what had happened.

"Bella," he said, "You're a great lawyer. You're going to find a way to win this case for Bethany and Heath- and people are going to see you for what you are. Being pretty doesn't mean you deserve to be treated like you're any less intelligent. That's not true."

"I started to think that was all I was good for," I said, wiping my tears. "I hate interviewing for jobs."

"You still have other interviews coming up, right?" he asked. "I doubt they'll all treat you like that."

"I know," I said. "Maybe I was overreacting."

"Yeah, maybe," he said, going to kiss me. I didn't realize until I turned my face to meet his mouth that he was only intending on giving me a peck on the cheek. I smirked into the kiss. We did this once in a while without realizing it, it was kind of funny. His kisses still made me feel alive. I dipped into his kiss, pressing harder. "Bella, don't do that… unless you want to accept the consequences."

Consequences… damn straight. I kissed him, again.

"Bella..." I slid my blazer off my shoulders, leaving me in an imitation silk and lace chemise. His hands stroked my bare décolletage. I wrapped a leg around his hips, feeling his beginning erection through his scrubs. He grabbed my hips to hold me closer. "Are you even wearing panties?"

"Just a trashy g-string," I said, offering him a smile.

His fingers slid under my skirt, touching my bare ass cheeks. I sighed, softly, running my hands up his shirt. "I'd like to undress you," I said. He grinned and let me pull the shirt up over his head. He had on a grey jersey t-shirt with a faded Cubbies logo. I took that off, too, leaving him completely stripped from the waist up. I kissed him, again.

He took the shoulder straps of my chemise and bra and slid them down my shoulders until my breasts popped out. He tweaked my nipples. My breasts were sore, though, and it made the sensitivity of them heightened. I moaned to let him know I enjoyed it. "Hands on the desk," he said. I did so, bending backwards at the waist a little as I felt his hands push my skirt up to expose my eggplant-colored thong, the edges of my butt cheeks on the top of his desk. He pulled my g-string down until it was at my ankles.

I shrugged my arms out of my top, leaving it at my waist and rested my butt completely on the desk and spread my legs to wrap them around him. "Edward, touch me," I said, embracing him. My nipples rubbing against his chest. He cupped my breasts, running a thumb over the nipple. My toes curled as he bent his head down to take one of my nipples to suck on. I cried out when I felt it harden in his mouth. His other hand massaged my other nipple, then ran down my torso to rub the heat between my legs.

"Like this?" he asked, lowering his head between my thighs. His mouth found my moist center, his tongue slid up and down my folds and crevices, causing me to meowl. He culminated by going up to my clit and wrapping his lips around it, causing me to have to bite my knuckles to keep from screaming out while he sucked, his tongue flicking. I moaned, softly when I came. "How was that?" he asked.

"Beautiful," I said, panting.

He untied his scrub pants and undid the snaps on his fly. I shivered when I felt him plunge into me. "Oh, Edward!" I cried. "Keep going!"

"You feel so good," he said, gripping my hips. One of his hands grabbed my breast, kneading the nipple while he pumped into me. He liked to start off with long thrusts and then end with faster pulsing. "I don't know if I can control... myself," he pushed slowly into me, pulling back out, we grunted together with each thrust. He pushed back in so hard, it almost hurt, I cried out. "Shh shh shh," he prompted. His thrust got faster.

"Edward," I moaned, quietly. "Edward please, come for me."

"As you wish, love," his cheeks turning ruddy. He pushed into me, pulsing blindingly fast until we went over the edge- coming together, trying to be as quiet as possible. He held onto me by my waist.

"Oh," I moaned, coming back down. "Oh, oh, oh... You really know how to fuck, don't you?"

**_

* * *

A/N- Sex isn't always the best medicine, Dr. Edward. You should know that by now._**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Emmett, Jasper, Rose and Alice came over a few nights later to go over plans for Carlisle and Esme's anniversary.

"Hey, Bella! How's it going?" Alice asked sprightly as she danced through the front door.

"Hey Bells," Emmett said, carrying a few pizza boxes. He kissed me on the cheek. "Hungry?"

"Sure," I said, although pizza didn't seem so appetizing, thinking of Toot's and what happened. The fire had been deemed arson by the police.

Rosalie bustled through the door and gracefully plopped on the couch. She looked amazing, in a pretty empire-waist dress. Hell, she would look good in a burlap sack. "So," she said clapping her hands together, "We're going to send Esme flowers with a dinner invitation and a gift basket to Carlisle with another dinner invitation," she stopped and jotted a few notes in her planner. "Both will be unsigned, just saying, 'Happy Anniversary, my love.' Then when they get to the restaurant, we'll all jump out and yell, 'Surprise!' And there will be a party with all their friends, right?"

"Yep," Edward said. Everyone began digging into the pizzas. I took a piece just to look like I was eating. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Uh, milk please," I said. Edward got up to pour a glass for me.

"I'd like a diet coke," Alice said.

"Then get it yourself," Edward replied. Alice's jaw dropped in mock aggravation and she got up to raid the fridge.

"So, Bella," Emmett said. "How did the meeting with my boss go?"

I thought about telling him everything. I was so used to keeping to myself, not having anybody to talk to, but I didn't want to complain too much to Emmett. "Well, I'm still going to meet with the other firms," I said picking at the pizza.

"Oh come on!" Emmett cried. "We'll have a blast working together! I can tell you all sorts of stories about Edward as a kid on our lunches together- especially during his awkward phase-"

"You just want me to fall in love with him more, Emmett," I said. I saw Rosalie gag behind him. Edward pinched my cheek so I'd turn my face towards him. He kissed me.

"You guys really have the vomit factor down," Rosalie muttered.

"They told her she'd have to give up the Standish case," Edward said. "As in, she didn't have enough experience and it would be handled by more experienced partners."

"Well, they have a point," Jasper said. Alice gasped. "No, really- Bella's just out of law school. She's never gone toe-to-toe with insurance companies and investment firms. It makes sense to have somebody behind her."

"No, she wouldn't be doing any of the work," Edward said. "They were planning on treating her more like a spokes model for the firm, the poster child in a short skirt and high heels."

I bowed my head. "I don't know how I'm going to do this unless I give up and go to one of those firms," I said. "I never thought my job as a waitress would affect my ability to get work later on in life!"

"Bella, I'm sorry," Emmett offered. "Really."

Rose crossed her arms uncomfortably. "It's not easy being beautiful," she said. I almost laughed aloud. What did Rosalie know about difficulties in life just because she was pretty?

After we finished off the pizzas, they started watching the game. I went out to feed Sunny to get outside. "Hi," Alice said, coming outside.

"Hi, Alice," I said.

"Is everything else okay?" Alice asked. "I mean, besides from the job offers?"

"Um, sure," I said. I was dying to talk to somebody because I wanted to hear _I love you _out of Edward's mouth. I wanted to talk to a woman, who could offer advice or support. But, it was an awful idea to go through Alice- Alice would try to intervene. Knowing her, she'd fuss at Edward to tell me those words, but they wouldn't be genuine. They would be out of guilt. I didn't want that. I didn't want to scare him away, either. I wanted him to tell me he loved me because it was what he was feeling, yet I knew from personal experience that saying it first was guaranteed to scare him off.

"Look Bella," she said, squatting down to pet Sunny. "I know it's been years of every man for himself in law school, but sometimes, I wonder if you could use a friend. Someone to confide in. You can trust me. I don't run with the same crowd as the rest of the lawyer's wives."

I nodded. "There are some things I have to work out for myself," I said.

"Has Edward told you he loves you, yet?"

"No," I admitted. She knew what was on my mind. How terrible. I was sharing his home and he didn't love me. Liked me? Yes. Fucked me? Yes. Did he love me? No... Even she knew it. "I wish he would tell me he loved me. I just... I don't want to be the one that tells him, first."

"Do you love him?"

I bowed my head, staring at my feet. I thought about it for a moment. "Yes, I do," I said. "I don't want it to be said out of guilt or insincerity, but..."

"He's just had his heart broken a lot, especially when both of his parents died," she said. "He doesn't break the L-word out too often."

"Alright," I said, nodding.

"Give him time," she said.

Inside, they were discussing the Thanksgiving.

"...I'd like to go meet Bella's father in Forks for Thanksgiving," Edward said. "If she wants to go." I felt a little sick at that thought- I hardly ever went home, and Edward wanted to meet my father? My father was probably polishing his gun right now in anticipation of Edward's first visit home with me. "Bella?"

"You know, I don't think it's such a great idea," I said.

"Yeah, we haven't talked about it," Edward said.

"We'll miss you at Thanksgiving," Alice chirped.

"So you'd rather spend Thanksgiving with her and not with us?" Rosalie asked. She couldn't even say my name, let alone talk about me like I was in the room. "I bet she's pregnant, is that why you want to go meet her father?"

"No," I cried. "I'm not pregnant!"

"Well," Rosalie said, laughing bitterly. "I guess Edward's finally found somebody more important than our family."

"Rose-" Edward began, sharply.

"I'm leaving. You can come along, too, Emmett," she said. She walked out the door. Emmett gave me a 'forgive me' look and grabbed his coat.

"That's being pussy-whipped if I ever saw it," Alice said. "Are you really pregnant?"

"No, of course not!" I cried.

"Could you tell Rose is pregnant?" Alice asked.

"Well..." I said. Rosalie was wearing an empire-waist dress. That masked a pregnant belly really, really well.

"That's probably why she's so needy right now," Alice said. "She's projecting on others."

"Alright," Jasper said, dusting off his legs. "I think we need to go home, too."

"Yeah- good night," Alice said.

"Bye," I said.

After they left and we cleaned up, I got ready for bed. "Edward," I said, softly. "Am I really tearing up your family?"

"No," he said. "We always have Christmas. I told Mom and Dad what I wanted to do- and they're okay with it, as long as you are."

"It's boring in Forks on Thanksgiving. All Charlie's going to want to do is go to the Black's on the reservation in La Push, eat some turkey and then watch the college bowl games," I said. "Trust me, I usually bail out around three, especially since Angela and Jacob got married, she and I go to their house and watch romantic comedies and take some Alka-Seltzer."

"We usually go out and play football in the backyard," Edward said, shrugging. "So much better; should we call Charlie and ask him if it's okay for me to come to Forks and meet him?"

"Alright," I said, getting out my phone. I dialed Charlie, getting nervous. "Hey Dad, how's it going?"

"Everything's good," he said. He sighed. "I heard about the restaurant being burned down. I'm sorry about that, Bells."

"It's okay," I said. "I'm going to start looking for a few waitressing positions. I heard Applebee's is hiring."

"All those law degrees, and you're making a living as a waitress?"

"I know, I know. I just need to win one big case."

"I know," he said.

"Dad, listen- the reason why I was calling is... I want to bring Edward home for Thanksgiving so you can meet him," I said. There was silence on the other end. "Dad, are you still there?" I asked, anticipating a dropped call.

"Yeah, I'm still here," he said. "I don't know where he's going to sleep."

"He can sleep in my room," I offered. "You've got a double bed in there, now, right?"

"He's not sleeping on the same bed as you under my roof," Charlie said, sharply.

"Dad, I really want you to meet him."

"Fine, we'll figure out the sleeping arrangements when you get here."

"Alright, I'm going to go to bed," I said. "I'll talk to you later, okay, Dad?"

"I love you, Bells."

"I love you, too."

* * *

The Standish's were being visited by Eileen and Leroy when I next came to see them. "Hi," I said. Leroy was semi-lucid and talking to Heath.

"Hi, Betty," Eileen said. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Was that your restaurant that burned down?" Bethany asked.

"Yeah, it was," I said. "The good news is, that article in the paper is getting me job offers," I said, hopefully. "That'll help with getting a firm to help with all the paperwork we're going to have to deal with."

"Good," Bethany said. "The more help the better. I just want to make sure you're the one who win this for us, Bella."

I smiled. "This is the best I can offer right now."

I stayed for a few minutes with Bethany, Heath, Eileen and Leroy. I had to meet Harry in a few minutes. "I've got some new things that will be of great help to us," I said. "I'm waiting for a few more lab results to come back to use as evidence towards our case."

"That's going to be so great," Bethany said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I'm basing my argument on the fact that the streptococcus virus Heath contracted is very easy to get from public surfaces," I said. "Proving that Mojave Insurance had no reason not to pay Heath's medical bills."

"How much are we looking at, here?" Bethany asked.

I thought back to what Emmett and Jasper had suggested. "My friends who are lawyers are saying it should be over a million dollars."

Bethany gasped. "I wouldn't know what to do with all that money!" she cried.

"You're up to your eyes in debt, your son's life is dangling by a thread, I think over a million to start with is a fair assessment of the pain you've been though."

And it was.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Thanksgiving rolled around and we found ourselves in Edward's car heading towards Forks. I was given the honor of being navigator due to the fact that I knew the route backwards and forwards from Forks to Seattle. "Don't be nervous," Edward said patting my hand, "If anybody should be nervous, it should be me."

I nodded, smiling, although I felt like throwing up. At a rest stop, I finally got my period, which gave my soreness and crankiness a source for the rest of the day. I had to OD on Tylenol to get it to go away.

By the time we got to Charlie's house, it was close to noon. Charlie came out to greet us. "Bells!" he cried, enveloping me in a hug, "Sweetheart, I missed you. I haven't seen you since… Easter?"

"I missed you too Dad," I said, feeling guilty. All I had done for Father's Day was send him a card and a gift certificate to Wal-Mart. "Dad, I want you to meet Edward Cullen."

"Hello Chief Swan," Edward said, offering his hand, "It's very nice to meet you."

Charlie took Edwards hand shaking it, "Charlie Swan," he said. His voice became harder, more stern. "Welcome to my home." Charlie was daring him to make a move on me under his roof.

"Thank you, sir."

"Come inside," Charlie said, helping Edward remove our bags from the trunk of his car.

On our way up the stairs, I noticed bed linens folded up on the couch, Charlie had set them there to make perfectly clear that it was to become Edwards bed for the duration of our visit. Poor Edward. I dropped my suitcase just inside the door of my childhood bedroom and ran back downstairs.

Edward and Charlie were seated on the couch staring at the television, watching football.

"Can I get you a beer, Edward?" Charlie asked.

"No thank you sir," Edward said.

"Bells?"

"Uh, no thanks, Dad," I said as I walked towards the kitchen, "I'm going to get started on the green bean casserole and the candied yams." They watched the game and had mundane conversations while I cooked. Around 2:30, we packed everything into the car and made our way to Billy Black's house on the rez.

As we pulled up to the house I saw Jacob was sitting on a play picnic table while Will was playing with a remote-control car from Playskool. "Bell?" Jacob asked jumping off the table, hugging me as I got out of the car. I still forgot how tall he was, sometimes. Stepping back he looked down at me, "Man, every time I turn around you're scaring the hell out of me-first the beating-then the bar burned down- and now the article-"

"I know Jake," I said. Will ran up to me wrapping his arms around my legs, shouting '_Auntie B_!' I picked him up. "Hello Will, are you having fun?"

"Oh Aunt B, I got a truck and everybody's coming here to play and eat turkey!" he crowed. He still didn't say his 'r's right, yet. It was cute.

"I can't wait baby, it's going to be great," I said kissing his head. "Jake, can you come here I'd like you to meet Edward Cullen?"

"Sure," I pulled Jake over to Edward. "Hi, I'm Jacob Black."

"Hi," Edward said, shaking his hand. "Edward Cullen."

"Good to meet you," Jacob said. "That's my son, Will. My wife Angela's inside."

We went into the house and Billy was sitting with his feet on a foot massager to help his diabetes out while watching the game. "Charlie! I wasn't expecting you to come home, Bella."

"Yeah," I said. "I brought someone for you to meet. Billy, this is Edward."

"Hello, Edward," Billy said. "Welcome."

"Hello Billy. Thank you for having me," Edward said.

"Hi, Bella!" Angela cried, coming out of the kitchen, an apron covering her belly. She was huge. I hadn't seen her in forever.

"Oh my God, Angela you're huge!" I cried, hugging her.

Angela absent mindedly rubbed her belly smiling. "I've got two casseroles in the car, I'll be right back," I said.

"Rebecca and Rachael are in the kitchen," she said, grinning.

I went back to the car and got out the two casserole dishes and luckily, didn't drop them. In the kitchen, I set them down on the warming plate. Rebecca and Rachael were chatting over a boiling pot of water.

"Just as a secret between us, we finished the meal hours ago," Angela said. "We're faking it right now until my parents come over to get some time away from the guys. I introduced myself to Edward while you were getting the casseroles."

"What do you think?" I asked.

"He's hot!" Angela hissed. The three of them dissolved into giggles.

"I know!" I giggled, too. "He's beautiful, isn't he?"

"He is," they all agreed.

"I'd take a beating for someone like him to bring me back to health!" Rebecca said.

We chattered for a few minutes before the Webers showed up with Isaac and Josh. We finally decided to sit down to eat, Will was going nuts trying to protect the controls of his racecar from Isaac and Josh and it wasn't pretty.

While we were in the middle of dinner, Edward got a call from work- they needed advice about a certain patient. He came back and sat down with me.

The guys were mostly talking sports, getting on our last nerves. When the meal was done, Rebecca and Rachael went outside to smoke. That gave Angela and I some time to talk privately in one of the bedrooms.

"Okay, Bella, spill- what really happened when you were evicted?"

"Two big, ugly thugs attacked me in the parking lot of the Children's Hospital," I began. I told her the whole story with every little erotic detail, including the bath, the naked meals, falling asleep in front of the fireplace and his whole family busting in on us. Her eyes got wide, her cheeks got rosy and we giggled together at the appropriate moments.

"He's a little too good to be true," she said.

"Tell me about it," I said. "I'm just waiting for a bus to run me over."

Finally, Angela, Rebecca, Rachael and I went to Jacob's house to watch Made of Honor. By the time it was over, the guys were calling us to go home.I hugged my friends before leaving. Charlie and Edward wanted to go back to Charlie's house and watch the rest of the games.

I took Edward and Charlie home while they argued over sports. Edward defended the Midwest teams while Charlie boasted about the greatness of the West Coast teams.

Charlie went to bed and that left Edward and I in the living room. "Do you want to sneak into my room?" I asked, playing with the bed linens on the couch. "If we wake up early enough, he won't catch us."

"That couch looks really uncomfortable," he noticed. "Yeah, let's do that."

Edward and I went upstairs. After I changed into my pajamas in the bathroom, Edward was lying on my bed, reading one of the books from my bookshelf.

"Heathcliff and Catherine are a completely codependent couple," Edward said.

"I know- I was completely obsessed with _Wuthering Heights_ in high school," I said, lying down on the bed. I squeezed into his side. This bed was so narrow, I realized. "Ugh- is this really better than the couch?"

"Yes," he said. "Because I get to hold you."

"So corny. Edward… about that… I've got to move out, soon. Or at least start contributing to the rent," I said. "Half, at least. How much are you paying?"

"Bella, don't worry about that," he said.

"No, really."

He told me how much he paid a month for his apartment. I almost jumped out of the bed. "How can I ever pay that?" I cried.

"Do you even know how much my father is worth?" Edward asked, grinning. "I got a trust fund when I completed undergrad, that's how I bought my apartment. You can live with me as long as you want… as long as we can still have naked dinners."


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

As the sweet oblivion of sleep overtook me something deep inside stayed awake mulling over Edward's naked dinner compromise. The words _gold-digging_ girlfriend crashed through my subconscious demanding attention.

I was pulled from my slumber by a persistent knocking noise. Rolling over with a groan I squinted at my bedside clock, it wasn't even light out- the clock said it was five forty-five. I buried my face into my pillow only to pull quickly away with the sound of Charlie's voice. "Dr. Cullen," he said, clearly. "What are you doing in my daughter's bed?"

Edward stirred and sat up scrubbing his hand across his face, "I've got an excellent reason," Edward said, his voice a deep sleep-filled growl. Charlie's frowned deepened. "And you probably don't care."

"Dad, please, nothing happened," I said with an indignant huff, "The living room gets cold at night- it's the northern most region of the house."

"Then you should have gotten him another blanket, Bella. Now get out of my daughter's bed," Charlie snapped.

"Dad, honestly, you're embarrassing me," I said as I tossed back the covers, and got up to prove my point. Charlie turned his head away to provide me privacy I didn't need. I moved over and sat in the rocking chair pulling on a pair of socks, "We're responsible adults."

"Well, Bella, there is something we need to discuss," Charlie said walking from my room, hesitating. "It's something private."

I got up from the rocking chair and placed a small kiss on Edward's forehead and followed Charlie downstairs. Flipping on the kitchen lights he pointed to a stack of mail laid out on the table. Picking one of the letters up from the pile I read it, and the next and next and next. My stomach roiled at the information I read-each one a credit card statement they were all in my name - they were all completely maxed out.

"What is this?" I asked, swallowing back the bile creeping up my throat.

"Bella, how many credit cards do you have?"

"I don't have any, Dad," I said quietly dumbfounded, "The only debt I have is my student loans. I don't understand…..How can this… what?"

I flipped through them again-all the charges were for online purchases and porn sites. All the statements were sent to Charlie's address in my name. I did a quick total of them in my head- around forty-five thousand dollars.

"Dad, I'm gonna be sick," I said, sitting down and putting my head between my knees, taking deep breaths.

"I had a feeling you didn't open any of these accounts," he said. "Your mother got some mail from credit card companies for you this week, too."

"Has she opened them yet?"

"No, when I called her last night she said she hasn't."

Jumping up from my seat I snatched the phone from the cradle and called Renée. She was happy to hear from me and began telling me about her most recent interest, I cut her off asking her to open the letters. She read through them and informed me of another forty thousand in online charges on credit card accounts I hadn't opened. I felt as though my world was spinning out of control, I didn't know what to do. After I got off the phone with Renee, Charlie contacted a friend of his at the credit card fraud bureau of the Seattle police department. After giving them all the information, the Seattle PD gave Charlie a case number and told him that I would have to call the credit card companies and inform them that the charges were fraudulent. The information and case number were going to be sent to the feds so charges could be filed.

How anybody had managed to charge almost eighty five thousand in credit card charges in my name was completely beyond me. My identity had been compromised. I had to call the credit unions and ask them to hold any transactions on my social security number and to disallow any new credit cards in my name. I had to find out if anything else had been purchased using my social security number. I knew exactly who was behind all of this, they were probably so good at it I'd never be able to trace it directly back to them. They were ruining my credit- it would take years to get all this corrected. Those things I could handle, what frightened me- really frightened me- is that they had sent the mail to my parent's houses. This was a warning- that they could bring my parents into this, too.

I hugged my knees to my chest. "Dad?" I asked.

"I know, Bells," he said.

"How could this happen?"

"They're threatening you. We're going to get this taken care of."

"I don't know what else to do."

"I'll never let anybody hurt you like that," Charlie said. He had no idea I had almost been raped in a parking garage. He'd be furious if he knew and would want blood. I knew I couldn't tell him this until the Volturi Investement Group was dealt with.

"What's going on?" Edward asked, coming downstairs, freshly showered, his hair still wet.

"There's over eighty five thousand dollars charged in my name in credit cards I didn't open," I said.

"Bella!" Edward said, hugging me.

"Dad's already spoken to the Seattle police for me, but… it's just one more problem to deal with!"

"We'll take care of it," Edward said.

Edward made breakfast for Charlie and me, and I tried to eat. After breakfast, I tried to drown myself in the shower and gave into the tears for a few minutes. Edward and I talked about it and decided to go home to Seattle early.

When we got home to our place, Edward pulled up to our assigned spot in the garage, and we found my driver's side window had been broken.

"What the hell else is going to go wrong?" I screamed, sitting down on the concrete, burying my face in my hands. "What more do they want from me!?"

"Bella, these are just scare tactics. we'll call the police," Edward said. "And then, we'll call Jasper and Emmett."

He picked me up and carried me to the elevator.

Our apartment wasn't violated, though. Sunny was safe- she had been in the gardens all day and had been fed by a neighbor.

I had locked up the Standish case documents at Emmett's. I knew they would be safe with him. He brought them all over right after I called the police.

"You know, Emmett," Edward said. "We have money. Why don't we just finance Heath's heart transplant?"

"Because the money will get taxed," I sighed. "And that would be taking a special interest in a patient, violating your ethical agreement as a physician."

He wrapped his arms around me. I rested my chin on his shoulder and sighed. I didn't realize that Emmett was still there. Normally, he would have said something like_knock it off, you two! _or g_et a room! Nobody wants to watch you make out in a kitchen!_ but he didn't. Edward smelled really nice, his scent helping me to relax.

"I'm gonna leave this with you," Emmett said, setting the Standish box on the table. "Good night."

"'Night," I said.

I stripped down and turned on the fireplace. Edward turned off the lights and stripped down, too, taking a place behind me on the couch. He covered us up with a heavy down blanket. "What do I need to do to help you relax?" he asked.

"Edward," I said. "I don't know if I can do this with you anymore- be the girlfriend who mooches off of you that doesn't provide anything in return except sex. Doesn't that sound like- like-"

"It doesn't sound like anything," he said. "So you're going through a rough time. I care enough to make sure you're not homeless."

I rolled over on my back. I wanted to hear him say he loved me, but I didn't want to prod him or force him to say it. I looked into his eyes in the firelight.

"Bella? Is there something you wanted to ask me?"

I couldn't leave him. This, regardless of the money he had in the bank and his generosity with me, was the most functional relationship I had ever had. I'd be a fool to leave a man this kind and this loving and this careful with me. He never asked me to sacrifice- ever. The trip to the Olympic Peninsula didn't count- he just wanted me to be close to my father on a holiday for once- that was no sacrifice. If he loved me, maybe he was going through a range of steps in his mind before it was acceptable to tell me. He was very methodical, I could say that for him. Maybe I just needed to be more patient with him. I didn't know _everything_ about him- he still had some secrets to tell me.

"No, there isn't," I said. "Just hold me."

His arms encircled me, rocking me slightly, gently. I liked him putting his weight on me. We laid on the couch, him showering my shoulders with light kisses up my neck, my face, my hair. "Oh Bella…" he sighed.

"Yeah?"

"… I've been waiting so long for you," he said, running his fingers across my cheekbone. I turned my face to kiss his fingers. I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

"We're going to be okay," I said.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

The first day of December, I was interviewing with another law firm before having to go to meet Jasper, who specialized in identity fraud cases. After another disastrous "spokes lawyer" interview, I went down to Jasper's law office only to be met by Emmett, Jasper and a small brunette dashing out of the office, carrying boxes and a plastic cup holding a goldfish.

"What's going on?" I cried, following the procession down the hall.

"We quit!" Emmett growled.

"Wha- why?" I replied, dumbfounded.

"We're starting our own firm," Jasper said backing into the panic bar on the hallway door. I cringed at the crashing sound made by the door colliding with the wall. Following his lead we walked quickly down to the parking garage. I wrapped my coat around me, shivering in the sleet-like cold.

"The senior partners insisted that I take a retainer fee to represent you-I argued that you were probably going to take their job offer-they felt that you were taking too long to respond to their more than generous offer and keeping the Standish case away from them- and we got into this whole argument about what they were really offering to you as a junior partner, and they said, 'Well, when you're a senior partner Mr. Whitlock, you can hire whomever you please and do what you want with them.'"

"This is how they run their firm and its stuff they've said and done before," Emmett said opening the driver side of his car, "About other junior partners."

"Oh my God," I said.

"Opening our own firm is an idea we've been kicking back and forth between us for a while," Emmett said placing the goldfish in his cup holder, "For years we've put up with so much bullshit from the senior partners and we're just done. We are done!"

"Me too," the brunette said, who was carrying three boxes, "Hi, I'm Jessica Stanley-Newton, I'm a paralegal. I quit too."

"Oh, hi," I said smiling, "I'd shake your hand, but…"

"Oh, I understand, totally," she smiled back.

"Bella, I know we're just starting up, but, I would like to ask if you would be a junior partner with our firm?" Jasper asked taking the boxes from Jessica and loading them in his trunk. "You know we'll treat you fairly and we have complete faith in your abilities to handle the Standish case."

"You're asking?" I cried, "You already know my answer!"

"Good it's settled then, let's get some lunch quitting makes me hungry," Emmett said rubbing his stomach.

Jasper laughed, "Air makes you hungry Em!"

Grinning proudly, Emmett replied, "As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, we'll get some lunch then we'll show you the office's we're going to rent."

Alice met us at Chili's and we had a celebratory lunch and insisted we all get together later to celebrate the good news. I followed everyone downtown to see the boy's new office, the building manager met us in the lobby and escorted us up to show us around- it was small, nothing spectacular, a small reception area surrounded by four offices and a conference room down the hall. But it was big enough for us to have our own space to work. Later that evening we arrived at Alice's house for the party she was throwing. Jessica was there waiting for us with her husband, Mike and their baby, Suzannah. As we entered the house the rest of the Cullens came and congratulated us.

"I'm so proud of all of you!" Carlisle said, coming into the foyer, taking my coat from me.

"Me too!" Esme said. They both hugged all three of us and shook Jessica's hand. "Bella, have you told your parents, yet?"

"No, I haven't," I admitted.

"Ok, let's go back to Alice's office and do a three-way call," Esme said grasping my hand in hers. I followed her to the small office at the back of the house and called Renée.

"Mom, it's me Bella, yeah listen hold on for a sec I want you and Dad on the phone at the same time for this," I said. "Give me a moment to get him on the line."

"Alright sweetie," she said.

Esme showed me how to hold the line and call Charlie. "Hey Dad, I've got Mom on the other line. I've got some news and I wanted to tell you both at the same time."

"Bells, what is it?" he demanded, "Is it that boy, are you in trouble?"

"No dad!" I cried. He probably thought I was pregnant.

"Let me get your mother on the line," Esme said, hitting the 'send' button again.

"Mom, are you there?" I asked.

"Yes, still here."

"Dad?"

"I'm here, Bells."

"Okay, the news is, I got a job. Edward's brothers, who are both attorneys left their old jobs and started their own firm, and they offered me a job," I said.

Renée cried out in joy, and began relaying the news to Phil, while Charlie said, "Thank God! I thought you were calling to tell me you were pregnant or something!"

Esme and I both burst out laughing. I knew my father. "Oh ye of little faith!" I cried.

"What has Edward said about it?" Renée asked.

"I don't know, he's due here in a few minutes," I said.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"I'm at his sister's house. We're having a celebration."

"I won't keep you then. Call me when you get home, no matter how late it is," Renée said.

"Call me tomorrow," Charlie said, "I'm proud of you, Bells."

"Thanks Dad."

"Phil and I are too. We love you."

"I love you both too," I said, "Bye."

I hung up from the call feeling very secure. I have job. A real job that I worked very hard to prepare for, I felt empowered as I walked into the living room with Esme. Edward was just getting in, still dressed in his scrubs. He smiled at me but didn't look too happy.

"Hi," Edward hugged me kissing me on the forehead, "Congratulations, Bella."

"Thanks," I said giving him a quick kiss, "Is everything ok, you seem distracted?"

He sighed. "Heath took a turn for the worse," he said running his hand through his hair, "We had to move him back into ICU. How soon do you think you can get Mojave Insurance into court?"

"I- I don't know," I said, "The court set the grand jury for after New Year and I can't change the Court's calendar"

"Bella?" Jasper asked, interrupting. "We've got friends, who owe us favors."


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

The office was up and running albeit the absolute bare minimum-hell you could still smell the new paint job-regardless of all that we were hard at work on the Standish case. The three of us plus Jessica and two legal secretaries we hired- Tanya and Irina, found ourselves working twelve and fourteen hours a day, just on Heath's case. Harry had dropped by the last of the internal documents from the Volturi Investment Group that he had obtained before his sister had conveniently committed suicide. We refused to back down- Heath was barely hanging on.

Bethany was a frequent visitor to the firm- she would stop by with food, when she could afford it from her food stamps; when a cold went around the office, she brought chicken soup, herbal tea and cold medicine. Bethany had an amazing heart and sense of service.

The grand jury date was coming closer and we only had another week to file an amended complaint stating the amount we were suing Mojave and VIG for. Jasper had gone over the numbers a ridiculous amount of times and had yet to come up with a figure. We were all sitting in the conference room for our weekly meeting when Jasper walked in the room and slid a piece of paper across the table to me and said. "Ten million."

"That much?" I murmured.

"First, there's the current medical bills which are growing as we speak, if he does get the transplant that is another bill to cover plus all the aftercare he will need. Then we have to consider the damage his other organs have suffered because of the delay with the transplant, he's been connected to machines to live for various medical ailments because they didn't pay for the transplant earlier, thus causing even more damage to other organs and systems in his body as well.

"Second, I considered punitive damages, Heath will never be able to be insured privately due to the amount of damage his body has already suffered due to their negligence, Bethany's credit has been ruined, she lost her job, her home, she had to declare bankruptcy because she can't pay the medical bills by herself," he said. "Then, I structured in pain and suffering. Heath's is obvious but the pain Bethany has suffered as she had to sit by and watch as her son slowly dies in the hospital for two years is unconscionable. Finally, I added in our fee and think I have come up with a fair number."

"If you say so," I said, "This is going to take some balls."

"If you watch current trends in litigation you will see that this number is nothing compared to others," he said, "Plus, that's why we're lawyers and not preachers."

I nodded.

Emmett had made it his nightly duty to walk me to my truck and follow me until I pulled into the parking lot at home. Tonight, I turned into the parking garage just as Edward was getting out of his car, "Hi, Bella," he said, hugging me tiredly, "Let's just get naked and have a long dinner."

"Sounds wonderful," I groaned.

Right as I was unbuttoning my blouse, Edward's pager began to beep, with a sigh he called the number and listened for a moment. "I'll be right there," he said, hanging up. "I'm sorry," he told me, kissing my forehead, "I have to go in."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I said grinning, "Your job is life-or-death. Go save someone."

"Thank you," he said kissing me again and leaving.

I dragged myself into the kitchen and made dinner, took a long hot shower, and fell into bed, exhausted.

I was dreaming that I was in a courtroom, giving my closing remarks for Heath's case. As I was talking I realized all the people in the courtroom were people I had met when I went to the Volturi Group's headquarters. The jury was watching me, writing things down, smiling and nodding in unison and their faces were weird colors, though. They liked me. I was feeling better when I woke up- somebody's hand was on my hip- I slept on my side, normally. Edward loved to wake me up when he came in late by caressing me. I moaned, softly.

"Edward?" I asked, "I had the weirdest dream- the jury's faces were weird colors-"

"I had a dream, too," said a voice that I didn't recognize. My eyes flew open. "That your face was blue at the bottom of the Pacific ocean."

I grabbed the sheet and pulled it up to my breasts, turning over quickly to face the person next to me.

"You're not so tough without your boyfriend and your tire iron, are you?"

I gasped as I recognized the leering voice in the darkness- James, the man who had attacked me a few months ago. How he had gotten into our apartment, let alone, our apartment complex, was beyond me. "Oh God!" I cried, scooting across the bed to Edward's side.

"You're even undressed this time."

I grabbed the lamp on Edward's night table, holding it upside down. "Don't you come near me!" I screamed.

He laughed and climbed across the bed on all fours. I swung at him, hitting the headboard, shattering the lamp, but my rebound swing cut him on the forehead. "Fuck!" he cried, "Bitch! I didn't think you'd do it," he said, grabbing his head. I scrambled of bed, whipping the sheet around me and ran down the hall. My phone was in the living room- and there were knives in the kitchen.

I took my phone and ran into the kitchen, grabbing a steak knife from the wooden block on the counter. James came out of the bedroom, holding his forehead. "Alright bitch," he said, glaring at me. I held the knife out, warningly, backing into the breakfast nook. Why hadn't I run outside screaming for help? He smiled at the knife as if it were funny. I fumbled to dial 911 on my phone. "You want to call 911?"

He grabbed my arm and tore the phone from my hand, snapping it in half. I hoped that it had at least rung once before being destroyed. I screamed and took aim at his rib cage with the knife. He cried out in pain and grabbed my wrist, pulling it away. "You are the worst kind of bitch," he snarled, "Meddling, thinking you can be noble. Sometimes, people have to die for progress. You don't understand that." He took my other wrist and pushed me down on the table, his legs between mine. I couldn't let him overpower me. I had to fight.

_Fight Bella, fight!_  
I was female. I was somewhat flexible. I could fuck Edward standing up with one leg up on the counter. Shit. I struggled against him until I managed to get a foot between him and me. I kicked the knife still wedged in his ribcage and he yelped in pain, letting go of me as he stumbled back into the counter. His moment of control was interrupted and I ran.

Fight him, do everything you can.

Fight.

I ran out of the narrow kitchen and into the living room, the sheet trailing like a sail behind me, wrapping it tighter around myself I unlocked the deadbolt on the door. As I swung the door open a gust of freezing air crashed into my body, it stung my exposed skin and made the sheet feel like a layer of ice wrapped around my body. The light dusting of snow that fell earlier crunched under my bare feet as I made my way to the courtyard. Somebody had to be awake- somebody somewhere.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

A light was on in one of the courtyard apartments. I ran towards it hoping someone was home and pounded on the door, screaming, "Let me in! Please!"

The door was partially opened and the face of a man, shock and surprise shown in his eyes as he saw me. "I was attacked, please let me in!" I cried, clutching the sheet closer to my body as I shivered.

He opened the door the rest of the way ushering me into the warm room, "What in the bloody hell happened?" he asked in a lilting Irish accent. "Kate!" he yelled. "Katie, wake up!"

A woman in pajamas emerged from the back with bleary eyes. "What's going on?" she asked. She saw me, her eyes bulged.

"I'm Bella Swan, I live on the second floor with Edward Cullen, I was attacked in my apartment," I said, tears streaming down my cheeks. The man was locking the door behind me.

"Let me get some clothes for you," she said. She was obviously American.

"There's blood on the sheet," he exclaimed.

I gazed down at the blood splatter on the sheet and muttered, "James."

"Oh Lass are you all right, are ya hurt? The man asked concern lacing his voice, "You go with Katie, I'll call the police."

The woman escorted me into the bedroom. She handed me a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt. "Sorry, I don't think we're the same bra size- this will have to do," she said escorting me to the bathroom, "I'm Kate Baxter, that's my husband Garrett, come back to the living room when you're ready."

"Thank you," I said nodding as I closed the bathroom door.

I placed the clothes on the counter and sat on the rim of the tub, the chills subsiding but I still couldn't stop shaking. Exhaling a gust of air I dropped the sheet to the floor and walked over to the sink. I stood there for what seemed forever and stared at myself in the mirror. Speckles of blood and dried tears marked my face in a gruesome pattern. Turning on the taps I quickly splashed water on my face and roughly rubbed a washcloth across my cheeks in an attempt to remove the blood and memory of what happened. Dressing quickly I emerged from the bathroom.

"What happened?" Kate asked as she helped me sit on the couch. I noticed that she had changed out of her pajamas.

"I was asleep, waiting for Edward to come home," I said, the still present shakes causing me to stutter as tears again began to fall, "And- and there was a man in my apartment."

She smoothed my hair out of my face. "Let's get you something to drink, okay?"

"Yes, thank you," I said wiping the tears from my eyes.

I wanted, no, I needed to call Edward, but my phone was useless, still sitting somewhere in my apartment broken in half, the same apartment that James may or may not be inside of. Plus, stupid me, I hadn't committed his number to memory. The sound of men's voices and police radios carried into the room, the police were just getting there. Kate came back from the kitchen and handed me a steaming cup of tea, thanking her I wrapped my hands around the cup trying to steal its warmth. A few moments later Garret lead two police officers into the room.

"Isabella Swan?" the first one asked.

"Yes," I said, setting the mug down on a coaster on the table.

"911 dispatch registered a call from this location but there was no further communication," he said. "We then received a call from Mr. Garrett Baxter saying that you had been attacked."

"Yes," I said, nodding shakily. My nerves were making me overreact.

Sitting next to me the larger of the two took out a notebook and asked me, "Miss Swan, can you tell us what happened?"

"I was asleep in my apartment tonight and I felt someone touch my hip- I thought it was my boyfriend that I live with- he's, he's at the hospital, where he works as a doctor- it wasn't him, though- it was somebody who's attacked me before- his name is James." I shuddered and swallowed as the bile attempted to creep up my throat. "He's come after me before, but never alone, there was always someone with him and never near my home- I think I hit him with a lamp then I ran to the kitchen and called 911 and got a knife- but he got to me first- he took the phone from me and tore it apart- and then he tried to overpower me but I stabbed him-" I drew in a deep shuddering breath, I hadn't breathed in a few sentences..

"We'll need to take you to the hospital, Miss Swan-"

"To see Edward?" I asked.

"No, we need to run a rape kit on you-"

"What! No, I wasn't raped!" I cried.

"Are you sure? Sometimes people tend to block things out from shock."

"No! I'm sure!" I cried.

"There's blood on this sheet," the other officer said, examining the sheet from Edward's bed.

"It's not mine!" I cried, "I stabbed him!"

"Call Ortiz," the officer seated next to me said.

"Thank you Miss Swan," the officer said as he rose from the couch and walked out of the apartment.

"I need to call Edward," I whispered. Edward would lose his mind if he came home and there were police officers and a crime scene in his apartment.

"What's Edward's number?" Garrett asked.

"I don't know," I said. "I had it on my cell phone."

"There was a broken cell phone in the new apartment that we're fingerprinting for evidence," a new officer said.

"He's Dr. Edward Cullen," I said, "He works in the Pediatric Cardiology wing at Seattle Grace University Children's Hospital."

"I'll call," Kate said, getting out her cell phone.

"Miss Swan, let's go over this one more time, you weren't very clear," the first cop said to me.

"Just give her a moment to calm down," Garrett said. Kate paced the living room while waiting on the cell phone. I took a few more sips of my tea. "Do you need something to eat?" I shook my head.

"We didn't find anyone in the apartment, if you can you give me a description of what he looks like, the faster we can apprehend him," the second cop said.

"He's about six feet, wiry build," I said. "His hair is blonde and he had it in a ponytail, the ends are curly… Um…"

"He's white?"

"Yes."

"What exactly did he do?" the second cop asked.

Exhaling loudly I began again, "I was asleep and I felt his hand on my ass," I said, "I woke up thinking it was my boyfriend. I said something about my dream and when he spoke, I realized it wasn't Edward- and he threatened to kill me and rape me like before-"

"You know him?"

"He- he attacked me a few months ago in a parking garage with a partner," I said. "He claims to work for the Volturi Investment Group."

I tried to give them the most logical sequence of events, starting from the beginning- when I had been attacked in August. I remembered a particular scar on James's cheek, but that was it.

"Edward's on his way," Kate said. I nodded and wiped my face with the back of my hand.

"Thank you Kate, and Garrett for your help." She patted my hand smiling then walked over to the mini-bar in the corner pouring out two tumblers of brown liquid.

Looking over at me she raised here eyebrows, "Whiskey?"

"No thank you," I whispered, "I don't drink."

Kate joined Garrett on the loveseat and they sipped their whiskeys while the cops finished gathering statements and evidence. The sound of loud voices erupted in the courtyard, "I don't care I want to see her!"

"Edward," I whispered.

Edward pushed his way through the police standing in the doorway still in his scrubs.

"Bella," he said, gathering me up in a hug, "How did he get to you?"

"I don't know how he got in," I said, "It scared the shit out of me."

"I already called Alice and Jasper- we'll be staying with them."

"You're Dr. Cullen?" the second cop asked.

"Yes," Edward said. His hand stroked my back. "That's my apartment- the one that was broken into. I got called into work for an emergency surgery tonight. If I had been there, this wouldn't have happened."

"You're the same Dr. Cullen that witnessed Isabella's attack last August by the alleged same people?"

"Yes, that's me," he said, "Who's in my apartment right now?"

"Officers Ortiz and Morgan."

"We'd like to get some things out before going to my sister's house," he said.

"Not until the investigation in your apartment is done. It's a crime scene. We'd like to take Isabella to the hospital to run a rape kit on her-"

"What!?" Edward cried.

"Nothing happened," I said. "They just saw the blood on the sheet I was wearing-"

"Bella?"

"I was sleeping naked," I said. Edward shook his head and groaned. "Waiting for you to come home. But I got away after stabbing him. It's his blood, not mine."

There was a knock on the door. The officer who was examining Edward's apartment door poked his head. "There was a call to 911 dispatch- a man was found about a block from here passed out with a stab wound," he said. "We're taking your cutlery into evidence."

"That's fine," Edward said. "Can we get some things out of our apartment now, please?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

"Alice," I said, getting out of the car. She ran straight to my arms, tackling me in a huge hug.

"Oh, Bella!" she cried, stepping back to look at me, "I can't believe this happened again! Come inside and warm up. I've got the guest room all set up for you. Do you guys want anything to drink? Warm milk? Tequila?"

"Don't worry about your brother, who got the call that scared the living daylights out of him," Edward grumbled.

"No, I'm fine," I said stepping out of the hug and headed into the house.

"Me too," Edward said. "Which room Alice?"

I followed Edward to the guest bedroom where Jasper was just making up the bed. "Hi, Bella," Jasper said as he hugged me, "Esme is going to freak out in the morning."

"Greeeaaaat," I growled.

"We have a couple of extra towels and toothbrushes laid out for you," Alice said as she ushered me into the room.

"That's exactly what I need right now thank you Alice," I replied, walking into the bathroom. I could over hear Edward having a conversation in a low voice with Jasper and Alice about my safety.

"_… I just want to keep her out of this_," Edward said, "_I'll die if anything happens to her._"

"_She wants this case_," Jasper said, "_Neither Emmett nor I have connected to Bethany like she has. She has to keep this case. We're going in for jury selection, soon._"

"_What happens if she wins? We'll be marked_," Edward replied gruffly, "_It's too much for me. I want her off the case._"

"_You tell her that, Edward_," Jasper said. "_We're not going to._"

I spit the toothpaste into the sink and rinsed my toothbrush. I couldn't take much more of this. I turned on the shower and waited as the water heated up. I stepped in and lost myself under the spray, I stood under it letting it wash over me, waiting for the heat to permeate my skin.

Edward walked into the bathroom and opened up the other toothbrush. I watched him from under the spray as he methodically brushed his teeth.

"Get in with me?" I asked.

Without a word, he undressed and got into the small shower stall with me. I moved so he could stand under the shower spray. As he washed his face I could see his back muscles were still tense from tonight. I gripped his shoulders and dug my thumbs in causing him to moan softly. "Bella, you don't have to do that," he said, "You're the one that had the bad night."

"You need it, too," I said, jabbing my thumbs down either side of his spine. He had knots in his back. "God, we both work too much."

"Ah! Right there!" he groaned, "Maybe we should have gone to a hotel. You're making me hard and I certainly can't leave stains on the sheets at my sister's house."

"Good point," I said, "I bet we could clean up the shower pretty easily."

"Bella," he said, turning around, "Bella… sex doesn't make everything better."

"It does with you," I whispered, lifting my leg to rest on the wall of the shower so that my foot was level with his waist, "Let's be careful."

"You're killing me," he groaned, leaning forward. I saw a look of questioning in his eyes for a moment as his cock was pressed up against my slickness. I was so wet for him. I swore I heard a growl rumble through his chest.

"Did you just growl?" I asked, giggling.

"Maybe," he said cocking an eyebrow. His fingers slid down my mound near my cleft, causing my legs to tremble. I tried not to make a lot of noise as his thumb slowly circled my clit. My back arched and my hips bucked, eyes rolling back in my head. "How's this?"

"Mmm," I said, biting my lip, leaning back onto the shower wall. His thumb continued to my swollen clit. "I want you, so bad," I said. He dipped his head down and took one of my nipples into his mouth. Heaven. Oh. My hips ground into his, rolling, grinding, trying to entice him to enter me while he strummed my clit, my nerves screamed for release.

"Edward please," I stuttered, "Inside me, now!"

"Now?" he asked, lifting his head from my breast.

"Yeah- yes! Please!"

He drove into me, causing me to cry out. "Mine," he growled. I gasped slightly at that admission from him. He drew back and slammed back into me. I cried out again as my nerves exploded in a frenzy. He pulsed into me, on hand gripping my hips as the other held my breast, I watched him as he drove into me, he didn't look anything like the Edward that made dinner for me while naked. He looked dangerous- and I was completely smitten with him. He drew back once more and slammed into me, "Bella….I can't….can't…." my walls clamped down on him causing us both to fly over the edge, my own release running down between our bodies.

"Edward," I whispered. "Ung…" I began to come down. It was like being high. Endorphins flushed me and I reached for his shoulders. The world outside no longer existed, just Edward and me. I moved my hand to rest on his chest, right over his heart. The _thunk, thunk, thunk _of his heart was so beautiful. "Edward," I sighed.

"You're perfect," he replied softly, panting.

After we both caught our breath, we finished showering and dried off. I climbed into bed wearing one of Jasper's t-shirts. "I've never seen you look sexier," Edward said.

"Even in my fuck-me heels?" I asked.

"Even in your fuck-me heels."

I was dying to ask him what he meant when he said, 'mine' while fucking me. I also wanted to ask him if he loved me. But I knew that asking him too many questions would put him on the defense.

He wrapped his arms around me and fell asleep.

I was not so lucky.

Every time something really shitty happened to me, we had sex. Sex our first time together had been after I was beaten half to death. I talked him into sex after I was almost killed a second time. Was there some kind of pattern I was missing? What was the common denominator? I couldn't fall asleep, it bothered me so much.

In the morning, I woke up and it was almost eleven o'clock. My sinuses hurt and I felt like I had swallowed too much phlegm- my stomach was a knot.

I jumped up. "Oh my God!" I cried.

"Bella?" he asked, sitting up.

"Do you see how late it is?" I cried.

"I'm late for the office!"

"Jasper and Emmett are giving you the day off."

"I can't take a day off!"

"Yes, you can," he said, pulling me back into his arms. "Bella, you've done all you can do. Stay in bed with me for a few more minutes and we'll have a late breakfast."

My body stiffened up. What else was there to do on Heath's case? I ran through all the documents, all the case files, all the evidence I had submitted, the lab results… Oh God… "Bella," Edward said, softly. "Jasper and Emmett and Jessica are going to be doing everything for Heath today."

"How is Heath?" I asked.

"Heath wasn't the reason I went into work last night."

"Oh."

"I have other patients, you know." my shoulders relaxed.

"That's more like it," he said, pulling me closer.

I just wanted to hear _I love you Bella_ out of his mouth right at this moment. Everything was so stressful right now. Why couldn't he just say it?

We lie in bed for a few minutes while I tried to go back to sleep, when that didn't work we got up and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. We didn't have the balls to have a naked breakfast in someone else's house. "I thought he had actually… done something to you when I got to Kate and Garrett's apartment."

I sighed. "I know. I refused to let them run a rape kit on me at the hospital. It looks bad."

"I'd like to see him strung up by his balls," Edward grumbled.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

The next day Jessica came by to drop off some of her extra clothes that she couldn't fit in since before her baby was born, I couldn't return to Edward's apartment, not yet. I tried it all on at Jessica's urging- everything was either too low cut or too short, but it would do for now. I knew how to bargain shop at the Salvation Army- if I could only get there. Kate and Garrett came over to Jasper and Alice's to drop off clothes for me and Edward as well. Kate's clothing fit me much better. As we were settling down in the living room Alice came bundling through the front door laden down with shopping bags from Nordstrom's.

"Hi," Alice said as we introduced her to Kate and Garrett. Handing me a garment bag and a few smaller bags Alice said, "Here, Bella- this is for your day in court."

"Oh, thanks," I said.

"Well go try it on!" Alice said. She was really pushing me. I went to the guest bedroom and unzipped the garment bag. It was a business suit from Donna Karan New York. I gasped. I had always dreamed of wearing DKNY to court. It was brand-new. I ran downstairs.

"Alice!" I cried. Esme and Carlisle were just walking in the door.

"Yeah?" Alice asked.

"Alice, I need to talk to you," I said.

"Why?" she asked.

"In the other room," I said.

"Oh, it's about the suit, right?" she asked. "Oh, I used my discount. Part of fashion design is economics and business."

"But it's-"

"Better than that mismatching cheap polyester blend crap you've been wearing," she said. I blushed.

"Bella, she brought home an Armani suit for me," Edward said. "It's a drop in the bucket for us."

"Her credit card melts if she buys anything besides designer clothes," Carlisle said. Everyone laughed except Alice who dropped her jaw in mock-shock. "How do you think she got that job? She's practically a savant, she can remember people's measurements- she knows one of my arms is an inch longer than the other- and I forget which one it is she remembers which one. She knows the exact breadth of Emmett's shoulders. Most of the time, she can just look at someone, guess and get it perfect. I thought she should have gone into engineering."

"But I love making people look good," Alice said. "It makes them feel better. And then, they do better."

"Go, try it on, let's see how it looks," Esme said.

"Okay, fine," I said. I went to the guest bedroom and found a chemise from La Perla in the bag. Hm. Never heard of that brand before. There was also a matching bra and panty set as well- I only put on the bra. I tried on the pencil skirt and blazer. I took a glance in the mirror. I had tried to tell myself for three years that the stuff I found at the thrift stores matched because it was black, but the moment I saw myself in the Donna Karan suit, I knew I had to have matching clothes from here on out. I looked- I looked like one of those million dollar lawyers who had a personal shopper on speed dial.

I went downstairs to show Alice that it worked- well.

"It's not bad," she said. "I knew we'd have to take it in at your waist a little. And you're going to need shoes."

"Thank you, Alice," I said.

"No, it was my pleasure," she said.

I changed back into a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt that Kate had given me and went back to sit with the family. Emmett and Rosalie showed up about a half an hour later with Thai food.

"I hope you all like spicy!" Emmett said.

Rosalie was starting to show- she was already five months along and looked as beautiful as ever.

"Last chance to guess what we're having," Emmett crowed.

"A girl," Edward said.

"Want to put money down on that?" Emmett asked.

"Nah," Edward said.

"I'm betting with Alice," I said.

"I think it's a girl, too," Alice said.

Jasper, Edward and I bet that it was a girl, while Esme and Carlisle were holding out for a boy. "It's a girl," Emmett said, rubbing Rosalie's stomach.

"You'll have a whole world of penises to worry about!" Alice cried, gleefully.

"Don't remind me, I'm thinking about buying a shotgun to keep the boys away" Emmett grumbled.

"I'm so proud," Esme said, rolling her eyes. "What are you going to name her?"

"We like the name Matilda Rose," Rosalie said. "We'll call her Mattie for short."

"Mattie Cullen, that's cute," Jessica said.

"Yeah," I said.

"Speaking of kids- Bella, have you contacted your parents?" Carlisle asked, "I'd think they'd want to know what's going on after last night since your cell phone is broken."

"I'll do it right now," I said, picking up Edward's phone.

Renée naturally freaked out and demanded that I let her come stay with me and then Charlie got angry and called up the Seattle Police Department, pulling every string he had to find out what he could. Before I knew it, I had a police guard outside of Alice's house, watching out for us.

"See? Cops are good for something," I told Edward that night. "James is going to be arrested for attempted rape, aggravated assault, and breaking and entering once he's out of the hospital."

"I'm glad to hear that, for once," Edward snorted.

"Charlie's got friends in the Seattle PD."

"I knew he'd take care of you," Edward said. "I'm in a battle for you with him, you know that, don't you?"

"He's not like that-"

"Yes, he is," Edward said. "He doesn't want to lose you to me."

"Edward, you're my boyfriend, not my father," I said.

Edward's hands cupped my cheeks, bringing my face up to look at him. "No, I'm the most important man in your life. He's scared, although he'll never admit it. He's just trying to get you to dump me."

"I'll never dump you," I said. "I want you. Do we need to get in the shower?"

"Bella," he said, grinning. "You don't have to have sex with me every time something goes wrong. Sex isn't a band-aid."


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

"Well everyone, jury selection starts tomorrow," Emmett announced as he entered the office. Tanya teetered in behind him on her five inch heels carefully balancing a tray filled with steaming cups of coffee as a bag filled with bagels swung from her wrist. This phlegm-swallowed stomach ache that had been bothering me was not going away, I just hoped I wasn't going to give it to the whole office. If only I had had the money to get the flu shot earlier this year...

I drew in my breath.

"We're ready for this," Jasper said, squeezing my shoulder. "You finally get to wear that nice suit Alice bought you."

"I'm not that excited about clothes," I said. "But, don't tell Alice I said that."

"It's going to work out for the best," Jessica said, taking a sip of her coffee. "With all the evidence we've gathered, the research we've done and all the documents we've found, a monkey could plead our case and win."

"Nothing is a sure thing," I said. "They've got an army of high paid lawyers, while I've never argued a case in court."

"You'll knock 'em dead, Bella," Emmett said. "Come on let's break the news to Bethany."

Emmett and I drove to Seattle Grace Children's Hospital.

"Hi," I said, entering Heath's room. Edward had put him into a medically induced coma at this point to prolong his life. Bethany spent all her time sitting at his bedside, but you could see the strain wearing her down. He was so pale and skeletal-looking; his tiny body lie there connected to a maze of tubes feeding intravenous liquids into his damaged body.

The smell of the hospital made me nauseous, now. Too much bile in my stomach.

"Bella, tell me you have good news," Bethany said.

"We're going into court tomorrow."

Bethany burst into tears and rose up from her chair. She crashed into my arms and sobbed.

* * *

When Jasper and I got home that night, Alice was sitting on the couch with a familiar figure. "Dad?" I cried.

"Hi, Bells," he said, almost sheepishly.

"Dad, I wasn't expecting you!" I cried, hugging him.

"Like I'd miss you first big trial," he said, squeezing me. "It's happening tomorrow?"

"Yes," I said. "We're selecting the jury. Edward's family and I were all going to go out to a late dinner."

"Alice was telling me that," he said. Alice grinned. "So, where's Edward?"

"He's on his way home from the hospital."

"Alright."

"Bella, this came for you in the mail today," Alice said, getting out a Fed Ex box. It was from Edward's cell phone company, but it was in my name. I opened it- it was a Blackberry Storm. Edward was porting in my number from my prepay company so we were on the same plan. I'd have a phone where I would be able to check my email, finally!

My voicemail went off immediately. Angela was calling to check on me. I called her back to tell her what was happening.

"Where've you been?"

"I broke my cell phone. Edward ordered a new one for me on his plan."

"That's sweet. So, what's going on?"

"Well, the big news is… I'm going to court tomorrow," I said.

"Oh, Bella, that's so exciting!" she said. "I'd come and see you, but…"

"I know," I said. "Aren't you supposed to pop that kid out, soon?"

"Yeah, soon," she said. "If I don't, Jake's insisting on inducing labor the old-fashioned way."

"What's that?"

"Oh you know… sex," she said.

I laughed. "Sound's fun."

"Really, it's not," she said. "I don't want to have sex right now. I'm so bloated and gross. Really gross."

"You're not that bad," I said.

"Yeah, I am," she said.

"It's only temporary," I said. "This too shall pass."

"Yeah? How's Edward?"

"He's busy, I'm busy," I said. I didn't want to worry her with the attack. "We're staying with his sister and brother-in-law."

"Didn't Charlie come in to see you in court?"

"Yeah, I just got to see him," I said. "We're going out to dinner, soon."

"Well, I won't keep you. Have fun!"

"Tell Will and Jake I said hi."

"I'll say hi back for them. 'Bye!"

"'Bye."

Once Edward got home, we went out to dinner, meeting Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme. Charlie insisted on paying for everyone's meal, although I knew he'd be eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the next month.

As Edward was saying good-night to Esme and Carlisle, and I was heading back to the foyer from the ladies' room, I was suddenly ambushed with a hug from none other than Rosalie. "Oh, Bella!" she said, her eyes full of tears. "I wasn't too sure of who you were or your motives until now, but… good luck tomorrow."

"Rosalie…"

"It's Rose, really. We're counting on you. Trust me. God, I'm such a mess right now."

"It's Okay," I said, blushing.

Rosalie's bitchy façade had been broken down, finally.

I couldn't get to sleep that night. I went downstairs to Alice's kitchen and I picked at a pint of ice cream in an effort to settle my rumbling stomach.

"What's going on?" a sleepy voice asked. Charlie walked into the kitchen.

"Hi, Dad," I said. "I couldn't sleep."

"I know the feeling," Charlie sighed.

"I'm sure everyone else in this house is sleeping like a baby," I complained. "This is only ten million dollars."

Charlie's eye brows almost flew off his forehead. "Is that how much it costs to do a heart transplant?"

"No, this is including all the medical bills, future medical bills, and emotional suffering," I said.

"So, where is this kid right now?"

"Edward and his team had to put him in a medically induced coma," I said. "It's going to extend the time he's got to live." I sighed. "I hope this case doesn't get drawn out. He's living on borrowed time."

"Bella, I want you to win," Charlie said. "Not because I love you, but because this is murder by neglect. It's going to send a message to the health care system. He's just a kid."

"I know," I said. "You're looking at one of the uninsured."

"And you won't let me get any kind of health insurance?"

"No, Dad, really. You helped me get through law school. That was more than enough."

"I can't help it," he said. "You're my daughter. I hate seeing you going without. It about killed me that you wouldn't let me help you with your rent and you lost your apartment. And you're living with a boyfriend."

"Isn't it better that I live with him and figure out if we can stand each other?" I asked.

"I never lived with your mother before we got married," Charlie offered.

"And look at how that ended," I said.

"It ended with a beautiful, talented daughter with a good heart," Charlie said.

"Aw, Dad!" I groaned.

"Good night," Charlie said. He hugged me and kissed me on the cheek.

"'Night Dad," I said.

I went upstairs to my room. Edward was lying in bed, his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He sighed as I climbed into bed beside him. It was obvious neither of us were able to sleep. I squeezed Edward's hand, kissing the spot on his chest right under his pectoral. "I think everybody else is asleep," I whispered, kissing my way up his chest.

"No, Bella, not right now," he said, softly. "I've just got too much on my mind."

What? He couldn't push me away like this. Maybe he just wasn't in the mood. Orgasms always made us both sleepy after a long day's work. I slipped a hand down his torso down the bulge in his pajama pants.

"Bella!" he said, slapping my hand away like a naughty child. "What did I just say?"

The humiliation caused a burn in my cheeks. "I was just trying to help you sleep," I stuttered, feeling rejected. "You always sleep better after sex."

"I just told you I can't tonight," he said harshly. Each of his words stung. "This case is going to affect both of us. A lot. Maybe it was a mistake to get this involved with you."

"Involved?" I choked, sitting up. "I was trying to do something for you because I love you. Which, I guess is too much for you to say back to me, because I've been waiting for that for over four months now, trying to prove it to you by fucking you in every position possible, in the shower, even in your office- and you can't even feel something that simple for me!"

"You want me to tell you I love you? Okay, fine, Bella, I love you-"

"Oh, Goddamnit! Not like that! I wanted you to tell me you loved me because you really felt that way, not because you wanted to use it as a revenge tactic!" I snapped, getting out of bed, tearing off the comforter.

"Where are you going?" he cried, getting up.

"I'm going to try to sleep on the couch!" I cried. "Good night, Dr. Edward Cullen, love of my life!" I said, sarcastically, tears burning my eyes.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

_**A/N- special thanks to my Beta & Legal expert, KSangi. I made a mistake earlier and called Heath's disease a bacteria. It's not. It's a bacteria called Streptococcus pyogenes****. It's a lot like Strep throat, and that's why you should never try to suck it up with Strep, but pump up the antibiotics.**_

* * *

I stomped my way down the hallway then the stairs, followed closely by Edward, who kept insisting that I was being ridiculous. Tripping on the last step and catching myself, I made my way into the living room and curled up on the couch fixing Edward with a glowering stare, he got the message. I was not backing down.

"Don't talk to me about bending over a table and dragging me into a shower just because you love me," Edward growled. "Because you're the one who instigated it- the first time, the second time, that time in my office-"

"Well, your cock sure stood up straight," I snarled. "I hardly had to do anything do get it to do that."

He turned on his heel and up the stairs, slamming the door to the bedroom so loud I'm pretty sure it woke the whole house, if we hadn't woken them all up already.

It took only a few minutes for me to realize what I had done. Of course his cock stood straight up the moment I instigated sex. It was a natural reaction for a man around a willing female. I was a willing female… also known as a whore. This was my pattern with men. If they didn't return "I love you" when I wanted them to, I got angry with them. I always though it was their fault because I let them take advantage of me in my horny ways. I realized it was my fault after all. Edward was the best thing to ever walk into my life, and I should have just shut my mouth and kept my hands to myself when he didn't want them. I had just had a screaming match with him about our sex life with his sister and brother-in-law, and even more horrifyingly, my father as spectators. How could I possibly apologize to Edward for how I had treated him just now? For demanding so much of him? _Give me a place to live. Satisfy me in bed. Tell me you love me and really mean it, Edward._ What was next? _Make me your wife, Edward? _I felt like the most ungrateful person in the world. Sex and love weren't the same thing, I realized.

I heard the pitter-patter of tiny feet move down the stairs and Alice poked her head around the living room door. "Hi," she whispered.

"Did we wake the whole house?" I asked, sitting up.

"Pretty much, yeah," she said, sitting down at the edge of the couch. She stroked my hair out of my face and then wiped my tears. "Even Jasper's up."

"I can't believe I did that," I whispered.

"Hey, we all need emotional validation. Men don't get it, sometimes," Alice said, softly. "They're very physical creatures. We're very emotional."

"Yeah," I said.

"Just give Edward a chance to cool off," she said. "I have the feeling he'll let bygones be bygones and forget about it all."

"I just… God, am I really that demanding?"

"Well, I don't think so," she commented. "Of course, I'm not planning on ever having sex with you."

The next morning, Edward left without a word. I woke up when he walked through the living room in his scrubs, grabbing his coat on the way out, not even looking at me. I held my breath, hoping he'd come back for me, to let me apologize, but I didn't know what to say. I collapsed my head into the pillow when I heard his Volvo race off.

I dragged myself off the couch with a groan and went to the bathroom. I don't know if it was the fight we were having or the flu I had gotten, but I threw up all the phlegm I had swallowed during the night with all my crying. It was disgusting.

After vomiting, I took a shower. My whole body felt swollen and hot from all the crying I had done, and all the hot water didn't wash that away.

After I dried my hair and went downstairs for breakfast, Charlie was waiting. "Hi," I said, softly.

"Hi, Bells," he said. He came over and kissed me on the cheek, although he hadn't shaved, yet. "I'll make breakfast. You want some eggs for breakfast? Over easy?"

My stomach lurched. "No thanks," I said.

"You always did have a sensitive stomach, Bells," he said. "You were the skinniest kid ever- I could never get you to eat anything until you were fourteen."

"I know," I said, pouring a cup of coffee into a travel mug. "I've been sick."

"Bells, listen to me," Charlie said. "Try to work this thing out. What you've got with Edward... he's from a good family. He cares about you. He's a step up from the guys you've brought home in the past."

I sighed and wiped my nose. "Will do."

Jasper and I picked up Jessica and Emmett at the office then made our way to the courthouse.

The courthouse didn't seem as imposing as it did yesterday during jury selection. The Volturi Group's lawyers put up a fuss over a few of the final choices, but in the end, we got twelve impartial jurors.

The waiting was the hardest part, I had interned for a few lawyers in law school, so I knew the drill; we had to wait for our scheduled hour in the courtroom. Bethany showed up a few minutes later wearing a dress that she probably wore to church a few years ago. It didn't quite fit her right anymore, but she looked just fine. I squeezed her as she took a seat on the bench with me

I heard a man's voice calling my name from down the hall, "Bella Swan?"

I recognized him from his picture on the Seattle Times website. "Tyler Crowley?" I asked. I took his extended hand. "Hi. Nice to meet you!"

He had dark, oily hair and acne scars and was really skinny. "Hi, I really enjoyed those tickets you sent me!"

"Good," I said, grinning. "Are you here to cover the Standish Case?"

"Yeah," he said. "My photographer is right over here." He gestured towards a man who looked like a geeky hobo.

"Hi," I said.

"Eric Yorkie," he said.

"Are you the perv that took pictures of me in my Toot's uniform?" I asked.

"Hey, you were in public!" Eric cried.

"You peeping Tom!" I cried. Everyone laughed. The courtroom opened up and we were allowed inside. "There's not going to be any photography allowed inside the courtroom."

"That's fine," Eric said. "We didn't want to miss reporting on this case."

I took off my new black trench coat that Alice had just bought for me and took a seat beside Emmett and Jasper. The Volturi lawyers came down the aisle- a veritable army in black to look intimidating. She-bitch was in the pack in a skirt so short I was sure the judge would toss her in contempt of court.

Jessica helped us getting our papers set up and Jasper's macBook with all the evidence we had scanned in for digital projections. I silenced my phone and put it away in my purse. I wanted to throw up from nerves.

"Don't be nervous," Jasper whispered. "They're scared. Just look at them."

They didn't look scared on the surface. But, I looked closer. She-bitch was wiggling her foot. Felix was nervously clicking his pen. All of them were doing some instance of nervous behavior. One thing they encourage you to learn in law school is how to read people so you can take advantage of their emotions and manipulate them in court. Ugly, but true.

The bailiff then opened a door located behind the judge's bench. "All rise. The honorable Judge Brendan Mathis now presiding."

I stood up. A portly balding black man dressed in the black judge's robe walked in and took the bench.

"Good morning, the matter before this court today is Standish v. the Volturi Investment Group, also known as Mojave Insurance. Plaintiff, you may start your opening remarks."

I stood up and walked to the center of the floor facing the jury. I had prepared this and memorized it and rehearsed it at the office. "Good morning. My name is Isabella Swan and I am representing Bethany Standish and her son, Heath in this matter. Ms. Standish purchased a health insurance policy from Mojave Insurance Company seven years ago. The premiums were paid on time, despite the fact that she worked a minimum wage job and had no child support at all to raise her son, Heath. Heath was a bright, beautiful, vibrant boy until he contracted a streptococcus bacteria from an unknown place. The bacteria was so invasive that it ate holes in his heart as it ran its course. Bethany relied on the medical insurance from Mojave to cover the medical bills, but was denied coverage and was told was that it was her fault that Heath had contracted this bacteria. Citing a fine print clause in their policy, Mojave claimed they were only required to pay half of the first hundred thousand in medical bills.

In Bethany and Seattle Grace Children's Hospital's attempts to save Heath Standish's life, a massive medical debt has been accrued. It's obvious that Heath Standish was not neglected by his mother, as Mojave Insurance claims. The extensive damage to Heath Standish's body has caused the necessity for him to receive a heart transplant- a heart transplant that he's been waiting to receive funding for- for over two years- because this has been dragged out over that time irreparable damage has occurred to other organs and systems while several viable matching hearts have become available. Mojave Insurance is showing their greed by denying the coverage to Heath. Mojave Insurance is showing they'd rather save a few dollars by crooked means than save a child's life- a child that has a policy to cover his needs. This is what's wrong with America's private medical insurance system. Over the course of this trial, I'm going to present evidence that can change all of that. It's up to you to say 'That's wrong and we're not going to let you deny this child his right to life.' Thank you."

She-bitch got up as I sat down. "Good morning. The Volturi Investment Group started out the little guy- Aro, Marcus, and Caius Volturi- three brothers from a broken home in Oakland, California that worked very, very hard to get through college and bought an investment property. They did most of the work on the house themselves and rented it out. Within five years, with the strength of their family bond and management skills, they expanded that tiny business venture to a vast real estate venture with family values. Over time it branched out into Insurance and Stock investments. That's how Mojave Insurance came into being-offering low income families the opportunity to have the peace of mind a health insurance policy can offer. Its true Bethany Standish did purchase the standard insurance plan seven and a half years ago, and with every insurance policy there are clauses. We are not responsible for the neglect that Ms. Standish inflicted on her son. We do not reward poor parenting skills. The Volturi Investment group has invested over two million in charitable family philanthropies, but we must keep Mojave Insurance separate from those charitable philanthropies for tax reasons. We encourage responsible, strong families that care about each other. Ms. Standish is a single mother, it's true. But, she had no excuse for letting her son live in such filth as well as letting him get infected with that streptococcus bacteria. It's Mojave Insurance's policy. We can't go back on our policies- while we are involved in philanthropic endeavors, we can't help every case that obviously falls outside our policy. We cannot afford to treat all of Mojave Insurance's clients as charitable cases, as Ms. Standish is attempting to have us do. We very charitably offered an undisclosed sum to Ms. Standish to assist with her medical bills, which she and her counsel rejected. This amount is ridiculous and far-fetched. This case is simply an attempt to extort money out of a family-oriented business, like one that you or your friends and family might own. Don't let America's great legal system hurt the Volturi Investment Group like this. Thank you"

God, what bullshit, I thought as she sat down.

"Ms. Swan, you may call your first witness to the stand," the judge said.

"Thank you your honor," I said, standing. "The Plaintiff calls Bethany Standish to the stand." They swore in Bethany, she sat down in the stand, nervously wringing her hands.

"Good morning, Bethany," I began. "To start with, until Heath had to be hospitalized, records from your former employers indicate that you were never cited for disciplinary actions like being late, excess absences, or code of business conduct, is that right?"

"Yes."

"Letters of recommendation from her former employers and her time card records have been subpoenaed and entered into evidence, for the record," I said. "Bethany, you've been struggling to get child support payments from Heath's father since he was born?"

"Yes."

"So, you've had to rely on your self to support him?"

"Yes."

"Has social services ever been called on you or your family?"

"No, never."

"Your Honor, in all the cities that Bethany Standish has held ever held residence, there are no records of the Department of Child Services ever being called. I have affidavits from the child services departments from the three cities that Bethany and Heath resided stating as such and they are entered as well into evidence.

Now, Bethany, when your son contacted the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes, you became an expert on it, didn't you?"

"Yes, after he was diagnosed I did computer research so I could understand it better, I found out that it's very easy to contract."

"How do you contract it?"

"Objection, Your Honor!" She-bitch cried. "Bethany Standish has no medical degrees and is not qualified to make such statements!"

"Your honor, medical experts will be brought in to testify as witnesses," I said. "I'm going somewhere with this."

"Objection overruled," the judge said. "Plaintiff, you may proceed."

"Bethany?" I asked.

"It can be contracted from common surfaces- like sports equipment, toilet seats, from another person's hand, a piece of clothing..."

"So, it can be transferred from just touching common surfaces?" I asked.

"Yes."

"And you didn't keep Heath in a plastic bubble?"

"No."

"What were the symptoms of Heath's illness?"

"He has had strep throat several times so it seemed like he had gotten it again. He had been treated with so many antibiotics his pediatrician encouraged us not to give him any more, since his body was getting used to the antibiotics. He said that we might have better luck if Heath had a tonsillectomy. We were preparing for the tonsillectomy when his fever spiked and he couldn't wake up. We took him to the hospital and the ER doctors said that it wasn't strep throat, but something they couldn't quite figure out. We were sent to the Seattle Grace Children's Hospital where he underwent several days' worth of tests. They noticed an irregular heartbeat. Once the fever started to go down, we were sent to Dr. Edward Cullen, and he confirmed that Heath had Streptococcus pyogenes and it had eaten holes in his heart."

I went on to finish questioning Bethany and then She-bitch had her chance to make Bethany look irresponsible. She pointed out that Bethany had dropped out of high school and had gotten pregnant. She questioned Bethany about making a medical choice when it looked like her son had Strep Throat, believing that she was expert enough to make the choice of his treatment. She drove that point home- how expert could a parent be at their child's illness when they didn't hold a medical degree of some sort?

I called several medical doctors to the stand to prove Bethany's competency as a parent and to make medical decisions, including the ER doctors that hadn't been able to diagnose that it was Streptococcus pyogenes that Heath was suffering from.

The judge called an hour's lunch recess. Jasper, Emmett, Jessica, and I took Charlie and Bethany out for Sonic and then went by Heath's room in the ICU to check on him.

"He looks so weak and tiny," Bethany choked out. "My little man..." She sniffled.

"We're gonna fight, I promise," I said.

When court resumed I continued to question the doctors. She-bitch's method of cross examination was to make the physicians look incompetent and overworked.

I called the lab tech that did the testing on the samples I had taken, to the stand.

"Now Mr. Reyes, would you please relay your findings of the samples presented to your lab to the court.

"Yes, of course," he replied. "I received fifty samples from random surfaces around the city of Seattle, including public toilets at a park, the door handles of the entrances to Public School 123, ten pound weights at Gold's Gym. Of these fifty surfaces, I discovered, through the lab testing, that forty-eight of the fifty surfaces carried a strain of the Streptococcus bacteria, and of those forty-eight, eight of them had the pyogenes strain," he informed the jury.

"Your honor, please enter the lab results into evidence." I said handing the paperwork to the bailiff.

We had successfully painted Bethany as a good mother and Heath as a child who had been continually sick with a common childhood ailment that was actually something much, much more sinister but behaved like strep throat. The judge recessed for the day, telling us we'd reconvene tomorrow.

* * *

I was absolutely worn down as I exited the courtroom with Jasper, Emmett, Jessica, and Bethany. My next pattern of attack was to bring Edward in to testify as Heath's current treating physician and then being shredding the shield of paperwork that Mojave Insurance hid behind since I had determined that Heath's illness was not caused by neglect.

A small group of press was waiting to get pictures of the lawyers and get statements. I realized there were AP vans waiting and local news crews. I let Jasper give the statement on our behalf, since he was so good at looking like a polished professional.

Emmett and I waited at his Jeep with Jessica as Jasper gave his statement to the press. I climbed into the back of the car as Jasper finished up speaking to the press.

"Rosalie and Alice are getting dinner," Emmett said.

I sent a text message to Alice asking if Edward was home, yet.

"He's still at the hospital," she texted back.

When I got home, there was a hot chicken casserole waiting for us. We went to work for all the last-minute things we had to do for tomorrow's trial so we didn't miss any holes in the paperwork until around two am. This was the glamorous life of a lawyer.

Sometime between eleven and two am, Edward came home.

"Heath's heart stopped again," he advised us. "It's heartbreaking when you have to use shock paddles on a child. I'm going to go to bed. Good night everyone."

Everyone else went home, but I stayed in the living room under the comforter. I guessed Edward still had not cooled off, obviously. I slept only out of exhaustion.

Around three-thirty, I woke up to Edward picking me up off the couch.

"Edward?" I muttered.

"If either of us needs to be in bed tonight, it's you," he said. "Come on. That couch can't be comfortable."

"You're taking the stand tomorrow."

"So what? I've performed the blue baby heart surgery on less than 3 hours of sleep. It's not a big deal."

He carried me into our room and set me down in the bed. He came back a few minutes later and covered me with the comforter. Walking over to the other side of the room he laid down on the recliner and covered up with a little throw blanket.

He was still angry with me.


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

The mob scene outside the courthouse grew even larger on the second day of the trial. There were news crews not only from the local station but from all around the country, hell all over the WORLD. Vans and satellite trucks lined the curb across from the courthouse; there were international syndicates covering the story- London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Vancouver, Melbourne, Rio and Beijing, just to name a few. I felt a little sick, if I lost, the whole world was watching and I'd be partially responsible for Heath's death.

"... A case that will challenge America's Private Health Insurance industry over the fate of a young boy named Heath Standish continues today. A veritable David and Goliath Story has unfolded as an inexperienced young lawyer, fresh out of law school, takes on Mojave Insurance, in an attempt to save the life of young Heath." The voice of a bored-sounding British news caster said over Emmett's Satellite radio. "Isabella Marie Swan and her associates, Jasper Whitlock and Emmett Cullen, are fighting for a young boy's life against the corporate giant that is America's Private Insurance industry. The outcome of this case will not cause a change and socialize America's Heath Care System, but this high-profile case is showing what a mockery the Capitalist Heatlh Insurance industry is by letting an insured boy die-"

"Change the channel, please," I requested.

Jasper flipped channels. "... Some inexperienced dumb broad who just got her law degree is trying to take on a private Insurance company," some loud-mouth idiotic radio talk show host was saying. "Doesn't she realize cases like this are going to wreck the excellence that by definition is the American Health Insurance industry? We have the best health care system in the world! My only thoughts are, she's trying to make a name for herself without working on smaller cases first or taking a job with a firm that would let her- she's never been to court, you know that?"

"No, I didn't!" a female host said.

"Her law school GPA was only 3.25- how pathetic is that? She just wants to get her name out there to make money, it's obvious, why else would she take on this case? I heard she used to be a Hooter's waitress and got offers to pose in _Playboy_- have you seen this girl? Being pretty and having a cute figure doesn't mean you'll win over a jury, Miss Swan-"

"Turn it off!" I yelled. God, if I could be any more nauseated right this second.

Emmett hit the volume control on the stereo. "Sorry," he muttered.

"Sorry, Bella," Jasper said, quietly.

"That fucking asshole," I muttered.

"Some people can be real assholes, but that's their right," Jasper said.

"S'okay," I said, rubbing my throat. The bile was rising in my throat. "I haven't heard anything about an offer to pose in _Playboy_."

"Maybe Hef doesn't have your phone number," Emmett grinned, "Would you do it?"

"God no!" I cried. "I'm a serious professonal, now!" I grabbed my chest over my suit jacket, "The girls served me well paying for college, but those days are over! They're retired and no longer available for the public to ogle."

"Well, it all goes downhill for everybody," Emmett offered. "It's a fact of life."

I opened the paper with a huff in an attempt to distract myself. There was a story about Heath's case in the middle of the Health section. I slammed it shut and threw it into the back seat, nearly missing Jasper's head. "Sorry Jasper." I grumbled.

Emmett navigated his way through the maze of traffic and news vans, the police opened the barricades to let us pass and we pulled in front of the court house. Not only were there reporters everywhere, there was a huge crowd of protesters holding signs; picketing for Heath Standish's right to health care and how corporate America was destroying the right to freedom by Privatized Health Care. There were others, counter-protesting. Those barbarians. The jurors had to be taken in a back way where they wouldn't see the signs to avoid being encouraged one way or the other. I walked in with Emmett, Jasper and Jessica into the court house, not giving any comment.

Once we got past the metal detectors, we waited for Bethany. I checked my phone over and over while putting it on vibrate. I thought about sending a text message to Edward that just said, _I'm wrong and I'm sorry_, but how could you be wrong about loving some one? I wasn't. We couldn't go back to the way things were. We had both said some terrible things to each other. My stomach rolled again and I tried to mask my stomach flu or whatever it was that I wasn't quite able to shake. Luckily, nobody else was picking it up.

"Look," Emmett said, quietly. "Edward's going to cool off."

"How do you know?" I hissed. He wasn't there.

"There aren't a lot of secrets in our family," Emmett said. "It was just a fight. How long have you two been together? Since like, August? That's five months. You don't throw away five months over something like one fight. I mean, how often have you two fought?"

Once? This was really the first time we had really had a big fight. We had had small arguments here and there, but nothing that separated us for over two nights.

"Do you have idea how often Rosalie and I fight?" he asked. "At least once a week. But it doesn't tear us apart. You two have been together long enough. I wouldn't discount him that easily."

"Emmett-"

"He's my little brother. I know him a little too well. He doesn't toss around his heart too easily," he said. "Don't assume things. Us men folk aren't really good with our feelings."

I nodded. In other relationships I had, most fights meant things were going downhill and he was on his way out. I hadn't ever realized I didn't know much about real relationships, just putting myself out there for sex. I had thrown around the word love with boys before.

Bethany came in the door with Eileen and Leroy, who was still in a wheelchair, but much more lucid than ever. After they got through the metal detectors, we went up to the courtroom. I put Edward out of my mind so I could focus on Heath and the case, powering down my phone.

"Court is now called into session," the baliff announced. "All rise, the Honorable Judge Brendan Mathis is presiding."

The Judge entered. "I hope everyone slept well. We will resume with testimony in the case of Standish v. Volturi Investment Group and Mojave Insurance. Plaintiff, you may proceed to call witnesses."

I stood up. "The plaintiff calls Harry Clearwater to the stand as a witness," I said.

Harry came up to the witness stand and was sworn in. "Good morning, Mr. Clearwater," I said. "You are the brother of Deidre Clearwater, a former secretary for Volturi Investment Group?"

"Yes ma'am, I was."

"When you say 'was,' can you explain to the court what happened to her?"

"She was in a car accident that burned her body to just remains."

"That's terrible," I said. "I have her autopsy and death certificate subpoenaed. It says that she had a blunt force trauma injury to the back of her skull at time of death. And that time of death was estimated to be 8:33 that night, but the curve of Highway 101 was pronounced as free and clear at 8:45 by the California Highway Patrol. The accident was not spotted until closer to midnight. The medical examiner ruled the death as a homicide, although there have not been any suspects arrested. Now, Harry, was your sister acting suspicious in months proceeding the accident?"

"Yes, she was," Harry said, his face drawing down, sadly.

"What was she doing?"

"She came up to visit and was very nervous- paranoid-like. She said, 'they're watching me' and 'they're after me.' I thought she was just being silly because she was upset and depressed because she had left her job because she didn't like her bosses, but she started asking me to hold onto her employee manuals," he said. "She came up several times with manuals for her job at VIG. After she died, I started reading them and I started to see stuff in it I didn't like. And when I heard about this case, I thought it might be helpful to get these manuals in as evidence if this case ever went to court."

"Ojection, Your Honor," She-bitch stood up. "We have submitted an employee manual at the Plaintiffs request, already."

"Your Honor," I began. "I compared these manuals and both are very informative, but the one that Harry Clearwater submitted is very different. We've made notes and are ready to submit these notes to evidence."

"Counsels, approach the bench," the Judge said.

Emmett and Jasper got up to stand with me while She-bitch, Felix and a few others from the defense got up. "I'd like to see these two manuals and see how different they are as well as compare the notes made by the plaintiff," he said. I got out Harry's copy of the user manual and my notes and the one that VIG had submitted was handed over to the judge. He noted Section B was the first one that the Plaintiff had. He compared the notes and his brow puckered. "Defense, you claim is denied. We will enter the manual that Deidre Clearwater left her brother into evidence. We will dismiss for a short fifteen-minute break and then reconvene at exactly ten-thirty. I do not like stragglers, so everybody, please be back on time, or I will find you in contempt of court."

Emmett patted me on the back so hard, I almost tripped. I turned on my Blackberry. It took like, three minutes to boot up.

I had several new text messages from different people, but none from Edward. I locked it so I didn't do a butt dial and get thrown in contempt of court and stuck it back into my purse.

"Expecting an important phone call?"

"Hi, Edward," I said, softly, looking up into his jewel-green eyes, surprised.


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks to my new beta, cekh1908!**

* * *

"Bella… I need to apologize," he said, softly. "I was being really harsh the other night."

I blinked back tears. "I regretted what I said almost immediately after I said it," I said. "I had no business saying that; I was being really selfish. I have no right to demand things of you like that-"

"No, you do," he said. He spoke quietly since we were in a busy hallway. "I'm a much better person since I've had you in my life. And I'm so sorryhellip; I just… I got scared… I don't throw that word around too often because it means a lot to me to say something like that."

"I know, and I'm sorry. Just… say it when you're r-"

"I love you, Bella," he said. "So much." I could hear the nerves in his voice. He kissed me, nervously, yet surprisingly chastely. My tears began flowing down my cheeks. "I didn't know it hurt you so much to not hear it from me."

I nodded. "Yeah, it did," I said. "You don't have to be perfect."

"Being perfect is boring anyway," he said, sounding a little choked up. He wiped my cheeks. "Look, you can't go in there like that."

"Yeah," I agreed. A few hysterical gasps escaped me but he blocked me from most everyone's gaze. "I'm gonna get cleaned up really fast before the recess is over."

"Alright," he said. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I said.

I went to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face, washing my eyes out. I looked up to see Heidi walking out of the toilet stall. She didn't say anything to me, just glowered while I patted my face clean with a paper towel and wiped my mascara off. She washed her hands and walked out. I knew she was trying to psyche me out. I put on some fresh mascara and lip gloss. I was about to be late so I ran back to the court room just as court was reconvening. The jury was brought in.

"I compared the notes and differences on the two manuals. Let me just issue a warning to the Volturi brothers and their counsel," the judge said. "This has the company's watermark on it, so it is obviously the real thing. If I find that you've submitted more false evidence into court that was subpoenaed, I will find you in contempt of court and file a grievance with the bar."

I was overjoyed. The Volturi brothers shown for what they really were- lying, greedy pigs, their 'family business' façade shattered.

When the defense got their chance to cross examine Harry, I felt a little nervous for him. The defense basically did their best to paint Harry as dishonest and having had a few arrests to his record. But, in the end, we had stabbed a huge hole in the defense.

Edward was called onto the stand as a witness. I took a deep breath before questioning him. They swore him in. I asked him a few questions about where he worked, how long, his degrees, etc before getting to the main part of the questioning.

"You were the first pediatric cardiologists who treated Heath Standish when he had the heart murmur, weren't you?" I asked.

"Yes," Edward said.

"What did you do?"

"I was called down to the ER and they asked me to diagnose the case. The attending physician assumed it was s. pyogenes, I ran an emergency lab on Heath, and it came back positive. I suggested that they immediately put him a high dose of antibiotics, which took out the streptoccocos bacteria, but within two days, the murmur did not go away. We ran several tests, and it proved that there were several holes eaten in Heath's heart."

I asked question after question that took up most of the day before Felix got up and started cross-examining Edward. We were going to have questions about our relationship.

"Doctor Cullen, is it true that you're living with Isabella Swan of the plantiff's counsel?" Felix opened.

"Yes, it's true," Edward said.

"So, it's a romantic relationship with Heath's attorney?"

"Yes," Edward said.

"Your honor, I object to this witness on the grounds that his personal relationship with Ms. Swan constitutes a conflict of interest," Felix said.

"Counsel," the judge began. "This isn't the first case I've ever seen where a lawyer has called their spouse or lover onto the stand. The testimony stays on the record. You may proceed with your questioning."

"No further questions Your Honor," Felix said quietly. They were planning on discrediting Edward all together to bring down the credibility of the doctors diagnosing Heath. They hadn't succeeded.

Edward squeezed my shoulder on his way out.

We questioned a few more witnesses before the Judge dismissed us.

"Since there are no further questions, I'm going to call a recess to the day," the Judge said. "We will reconvene at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

I wasn't quite sure how to speak to the press as we left that evening.

I was excited to get home and just have some time away from the cameras and the profession and just be with Edward. And his family. And he loved me.

On top of it all, I had kicked some major ass today in court. I wanted to know what Edward had done today, too. We hadn't really talked in three days.

Alice made some stir-fry dinner ready when we got in the door.

"Bells, I'm gonna have to go back to Forks for a few days," Charlie said. "I didn't know this case was going to go on this long."

"I know, me neither," I said. "Have a safe trip home, Dad." I hugged him.

"Good luck," he said. "I love you. I'm so proud right now. I think you're doing a really good thing."

"I love you, too," I said. I kissed him on the cheek. He squeezed me a little bit in return before he left.

I was pretty quiet and somber after Charlie left.

"Bella, I bought you a new outfit for court," Alice said. "You can't wear that same suit every day. The whole world is seeing it!"

"Thanks, Alice," I said, getting up to put away my dish so I could go try it on.

"Bella, it's not here… it's at your apartment," she said. "Edward's there. He wanted to give you a moment to say good-bye to your father."

"He's already there?" I asked.

"Yeah. Go home," she said. "There's nothing left to fear."

I nodded and got my things packed up and loaded into my truck. The new security of our apartment waved at me as I drove in. Our apartment was unlocked and the lights were on. I grinned as Edward and came out of the kitchen with cat food in his hand. He set it down and Sunny attacked it, immediately. "Bella," he said. That sexy half-grin I had fallen in love with last summer flashed across his face. He lifted me up in a hug and kissed me. And he kept on kissing me. "Bella, my love," he lifted me up. "I just want to hold you right now."

"I love you," I said.

"I love you," he said. It felt so good to say that.

"I'll be right back," I said. I picked up some Cheez-Its in the kitchen and undressed. I went back into the living room where the fire was blazing merrily. Edward sat in the darkness, opening up a book in the firelight. He set in a piece of folded paper and shut it. I kneeled down beside him; the warmth of the fire hit my cold, bare skin.

"Those were three of the longest days of my whole life," I said.

"Alice's couch doesn't sleep well at all," Edward agreed. "I missed you so much. This is where you belong. With me." He took my hand, kissing my fingers.

"Cheez-It?" I asked.

"Sure," he said. I popped one into his mouth and put one into my own mouth. "I heard you as good as won today."

"Did you hear I've been offered a spread in _Playboy_?" I asked. "I didn't even know about it myself."

"While you'd make an excellent centerfold, I'd be very upset if anybody else saw you like this," he said, drawing me into his arms. I slipped a hand up under his scrubs shirt. He was wearing entirely too many articles of clothing.

"Some conservative radio talk show host said I was doing this for the publicity and not thinking about how I was going to affect the world's greatest Health Care System."

"The world's greatest heath care system? Bella, please. As an insider, I'll tell you, it's a shame when deserving people can't get their diseases treated with top-of-the-line treatments in America when America has the funds and ability to do it," he said. "The health care System in this country is a joke. It's corrupt. I'll be the first to back you up. This isn't a joke. A single human life is important. All human life is."

* * *

The next morning, I had my closing remarks to deliver after VIG's final witnesses. She-bitch and her witnesses weren't very strong after all the holes I had punched in their defense. I questioned them, although they were pretty weak arguments. I heard the word "settle" between the Volturi brothers and their lawyers a couple of times. Aro surely wasn't going to go for it.

"The plaintiff may give their closing arguments," the Judge said.

I got up. I had worked on this closing argument for weeks. I had it memorized and had tweaked it and made it perfect. I cracked my knuckles and stood up. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Bethany Standish stands before you today as a woman who paid for a medical insurance policy that was supposed to cover any medical kind of ailments up to three hundred thousand dollars. She paid her premiums on time and then when her son was ill, she took him to get medical care expecting her insurance to cover it. When her son's physicians insisted that Heath Standish needed a heart transplant Volturi Investment Group and Mojave Insurance rejected the first petitionwhich is understandable to weed out unnecessary surgeries. Which is understandable to weed out unnecessary surgeries. But they rejected the Standishes again and again and again, insisting that child neglect and abuse caused Heath to get _streptococus pyrogenes_ and the policy did not cover cases of child abuse and neglect while it's obvious that Bethany is good mother who has worked hard. This case is going to have a huge impact on how health care is seen in our country. Especially right now. So many people are losing their homes and going bankrupt because of being sick in this country. Bethany is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy herself right now trying to afford her son's mounting medical bills. And all the medical companies want their money now. She's waited two years and has put off these bills for long enough. Little Heath's body is ravaged. A heart transplant is his only chance to survive. Please, make the decision to make sure that the Standish family can survive. No parent deserves to outlive their child, especially when they took all the necessary precautions and this could be prevented. Keep that in mind as you find your verdict. Thank you." I took my seat.

Heidi looked a little pale when I was done. She got up and approached the jury. She paced slowly a few times tapping her fingers together like Mr. Burns on _the Simpsons_. "While Miss Swan gave a convincing argument, she's trying to convince you all that Bethany Standish deserves this outlandish sum because she's poor and couldn't afford Blue Cross Blue Shield or was a good enough mother to her son. The real issue here is the terms of the contract and what was owed to the customer. She breached her contract with Mojave Insurance by not keeping Heath clean and then he got ill with an intense disease. Furthermore, she failed to recognize he was ill until his heart had been damaged. This is child neglect. Mojave Insurance does not encourage child abuse and neglect. If you find Mojave Insurance and the Volturi Investment Group liable, you are endorsing child abuse and neglect. Is that really the message you want to send to the world? That in America, it's okay to breach a contract, but still get the pay out when you did something as miserable and dispicable as child abuse? There is a special place in Hell for people who abuse their children." Bethany bristled at that comment. "Don't send the message to the world that it's alright to neglect their children by findingMojave Insurance and Volturi Investment Group liable. Thank you."

"The jury is dismissed for deliberation," the judge said.

We all went to the hallway for some water and to try to relax.

"I wonder how long this is going to take," Bethany said.

I took her hand. "We're going to be just fine," I said. "I did the best I was capable of and all we can do is wait."

Bethany suddenly tried to hold back sobs. "Bella, you're the only person who'd take on this case," she said. "Whatever happens... Heath's not going to die in vain."

"He's not dead yet," I said, slipping an arm around her shoulders. Jessica and Tanya came with lunches from Chili's. The smell of hot wings just grossed me out. I blamed it on serving them for so long. I had had too much take-out. I wanted home-cooked food now; I just couldn't eat it. They ate some dinner in the court house while Bethany tried to stop crying. I felt like crying in anticipation, too. This my was first case ever and it was going to brand me for the rest of my life.

The word came around that the jury had reached a verdict and that the Judge was allowing cameras inside for the reading of the verdict. The AP had set up inside.

"All rise, the Honorable Brendan Mathis is entering," the Baliff said.

He entered. "All remain standing for the reading of the verdict." The Baliff transferred the form the jury foreman to the judge. "The jury has found the defendants, Mojave Insurance and it's parent company, Volturi Inventment Group, liable for breach of contract."

Bethany wavered beside me and almost fell over. Emmett caught her. Did I hear right? They were liable? I just won my first case?

He went down the line, asking each jury member if this was his/her decision, they all said yes. "Because of the severity of the case, I'm going to enter a damages award against the Volturi Investment Group right now. They will pay double the price asked by Cullen, Whitlock and Swan to the Standishes. Out of that amount, if payments are to be rendered to Ms. Standish within ninety days from today, all of Heath Standish's medical bills and all of Bethany Standish's related medical bills will be transferred to Volturi Investment Group and Mojave Insurance responsibility. Furthermore, shame on you, Aro, Marcus and Caius Volturi- shame on you for trying to save money over valuing a human life when it was you and your company's responsibility to pay out on a health insurance claim and request for a heart transplant. In all my years on the bench, this is one of the worst cases of greed, lack of compassion and corporate neglect I've ever seen. You disgust me. If I could try this case criminally, I'd send you all to prison so you'd never see the light of day ever again. If this boy dies, may God have mercy on your souls. All rulings are final and you may not contest them. This case is concluded." He brought down his gavel.  
Heath was going to have a chance to live and I was the one who helped Bethany when no one else would. Bethany hugged me, sobbing and laughing all at the same time. "I've never had that much money in my whole life!"

"Don't forget our fees!" Emmett said, gleefully. I smacked Emmett in the stomach.

"Even then, that's a lot of money!" Bethany cried. "I have to get to the hospital! I have to tell Heath- I can't drive right, I'm shaking so hard-"

"I just got a text message from Edward," Jasper said. "A matching heart was flown in and they're prepping for a transplant. He's scrubbing in. The head of pediatric surgery is taking on this transplant personally."

"Come on, we'll take you," Emmett said. I realized I had tears running down my face.

"Bella, you and me, we're going to greet the press," Jasper said, taking me aside.

I saw the Volturi brothers for the first time since the verdict. They were glaring at me with such hatred, I knew I was on the shitlist for... forever with them. "Well done, Isabella Swan," Aro said. "You've proved yourself a worthy opponent in the courtroom. We underestimated you."

"It was my pleasure," I said, although I immediately regretted it. Jasper wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided me out of the courtroom. "Alright, what are we going to tell the press?"

"That the VIG put up a very good fight, but we really really believe that justice prevailed," he said. "And that we have high hopes that Heath Standish will recover, but we're not out of the woods yet."

"This was an argument for life," I said.

"Yes, exactly. Come on."

We went outside and Emmett had yet to get Bethany into car. Jessica had gone to get his Jeep and was waiting, but the press was hounding her and the protesters on our behalf were cheering. Emmett had an arm around Bethany and was trying to guide her away, but she was blubbering to them happily. A well of happiness was overflowing inside me.

"There's Isabella Swan!" somebody shouted. There was a cheer and protesters and press came running up the steps to us. Emmett was able to get Bethany into the Jeep.

Everyone quieted down so they could get our statement. "Hi," I said, suddenly nervous. "We're so proud to have represented Heath and Bethany Standish today. It was a battle uphill and the VIG and Mojave Insurance put up a good fight, but in the end, we really feel like justice prevailed. The fight's not over yet, Heath is going into surgery as we speak at Seattle Grace Children's Hospital. Hope for the best everyone! Thank you!"

"Regardless of if you were for or against the Standishes winning the case, please hope that Heath Standish makes it through this surgery. A heart transplant is not an easy operation. It's going to take substantial recovery time and recooperation," Jasper added. "In the end, Heath Standish is a human life. A little boy like the one that might live next door to you or down the street or even be your own child. All life is valuable and we can't forget that if we claim to be the world's greatest country and health care system. If we really are, why don't we have health care for all legal, working residents and their children? Why is a beautiful, deserving child losing his life because he couldn't get a heart transplant? That's something we have to look at and question. Let's just hope that our next words to the public aren't 'In lieu of flowers, pass healthcare reform.' Everyone, Heath Standish has his funding, and now, he needs your prayers and every positive thought possible. Thank you so much." Jasper and I were escorted through the press to a waiting cab by police officers.

I was still shaking in the cab the whole way to Seattle Grace.  
"I can't believe it... Jasper, you were brilliant up there! And I can't believe I won a case this big and I'm just out of law school!" I cried, laughing slightly hysterically.

"Actually, me too," Jasper said. "_I've_ never won a case worth twenty million!"

I squealed without realizing it. There was already press at the main door to the hospital. The police directed us through the basement entrance, barring all press until Jasper and I got out  
My phone was ringing non-stop with calls from the Associated Press, calls from politicians that were for socialized heath care and health care reform while asking me to speak on their behalf in front of Congress in Washington, DC and most importantly, my own parents. I turned off my phone and called Charlie from Emmett's unlisted phone.

"I knew you'd do it," he said. "I'm so proud of you, Bella."

"I'm just like my old man, aren't I?" I asked. "Defending the defenseless?"

"A regular chip off the old block," Charlie chuckled. "Did you get everything worked out with Edward?"

"Sure did," I said.

"Good," he said.

Esme was there to greet us. "That was an exciting verdict!" she cried. "Come on, you two! We're going to go up to wait on Heath's surgery!"

I practically ran down the hall ways, as did Jasper and Esme. Edward was standing in the waiting room with his hands held up. He had obviously just washed them. Bethany had been given scrubs to change into and a hair cap and a face mask. She was going to get to be in the waiting room, surprisingly, just in case. She wanted to be there during the surgery.

I stood on my toes and kissed Edward on his face mask. "You did it, love," he said. I could see he was grinning just by looking at his eyes.

"Good luck," I said.

One of the nurses came running into the room. "Dr. Cullen! What are you doing out here? You're supposed to be in the prep room!" she cried. She stretched plastic gloves over his arms up to his elbows.

"I'm just wishing him luck," I said.

She saw me. "We were watching the verdict at the nurses' station," she said. "Thank you for what you did just now, Ms. Swan."

"I think luck is on Heath's side," Edward said. "A matching heart was being flown in from Salt Lake City this afternoon before the verdict was even read."

"I'm so excited," I said.

"Dr. Cullen, we have to get you scrubbed in!" the nurse cried. "Come on!"

"Gotta go- 'bye," Edward said as he, Bethany and the nurse exited the room. "I love you, Bella."

I went into the waiting room and sat down. Emmett and Jasper took off their ties. We skipped all the news channels because they all were talking about the case. Even Fox news was reading emails about how Cullen, Whitlock and Swan was an anti-American Socialist law firm trying to rob America of its great economic system- first socialist health care, then what? Socialized child health care? I thought _great medical and economic system? Pssh. What do you call 2008?_

After a few minutes, Bethany came back into the room. I guess she wasn't going into surgery with Heath, just seeing him one last time before he got in. She sobbed into a soggy tissue. "We've waited so long for this," she said. "I can't believe it's actually happening!"

I sat down and tried to watch Spanish Television until coverage of our case came on. I couldn't tell if they were for or against us, but it was surreal. _Everybody _was talking about us.

Rosalie came in. "Here, Bella, these are for you," she said. She tossed me a bag with yoga pants and a sweatshirt and some sneakers.

"Thanks," I said, going to the rest room to change. I put on the shoes, but they were size 11s. I went back into the living room with the laces tied as tight as I could get them, clopping along.

"I told you, you have enormous feet, Rosie," Emmett said. Rosalie glowered at him and we all laughed nervously. Bethany and I sounded a little hysterical.

"Thanks, Rosalie, this was exactly what I needed," I said.

"We're all getting a bit nervous here," Rosalie said. "All of America's watching this transplant. There's even a candlelight vigil outside." I looked out the window and saw a small sea of glowing gold dots.

Alice and Carlisle came in with a tray of brownies and Subway sandwiches. "When we called these in, they gave them to us for free!" Alice cried, happily, holding up one bag. "They found out what law firm my husband works for when they saw my credit card! Isn't that nice?"

"I'm starving," I admitted. "Do you have a Turkey sub?"

"Yes," Alice said, digging around.

"Thanks," I said.

Esme and Carlisle stopped in. "How's it going?" Carlisle asked.

"We haven't heard anything from the surgical nurse yet," Alice said, tossing me a bag of crisp, yummy plain Lays potato chips.

"She's due to come in, soon," Rosalie said.

Carlisle entertained us with a game of Bull Shit (which we had to curtail to "Banana Sandwiches" since we were in a children's hospital) for a few hours until the surgical nurse came in. While we waited, parents and relatives of other patients in the hospital came down and interrupted the game, wanting to meet us. Most were sobbing, telling me what a great thing I had done. I was truly touched; I didn't realize I had affected people like this. By now the sun had gone down. The surgical nurse finally came in after six hours we had all had a nap and explained to us what was going on.

"They're about halfway through. Heath's system is pretty weak, now, they almost lost him for a moment in the beginning before we even started, the surgical intern didn't give up, though," she said. I knew she was talking about Edward. My heart warmed.

I was determined to stay up for Heath's surgery. After a few more rounds of Banana Sandwiches, and meeting more parents of other patients, the surgical nurse came out after another four hours and said that Heath was bleeding, slightly, but they managed to fix it before it got out of control.

"You know, Bethany, I think it's in your best interest to hire a Certified Financial Planner," Emmett said, groggily from the couch. "And an accountant. This is a lot of money really suddenly, you don't want to make financial errors before Heath grows up."

"That's a lot to think about," Bethany yawned.

"It seems like a lot, but it won't be like unlimited funds with the medical bills," Jasper said, stroking Alice's pixie cut hair. Her head was on his knee, her eyes closed. "Trust me on this. Heath might even need a kidney transplant one day, we planned that into the original figure. You don't want to jeopardize having the funds for that."

"Alright," Bethany said.

"I've got some excellent ones to recommend in the morning," Jasper said.

Within an hour the nurse returned again. "Heath has been taken to the recovery room," she said. "He's not stabilized, yet. We're going to start taking him out of the medically induced coma."

Bethany straightened up from her spot on the couch, wide awake. "Can I see him, yet?" she asked.

"Yes, but only one person at a time."

Bethany got up and followed the nurse. I wasn't able to breathe a sigh of relief, yet. Edward came down the hall in his scrubs. I could see giant splotches of blood on his shirt; he looked exhausted. It was almost four-thirty in the morning by now. My eyes felt dry and like they were burning from trying to stay up so long.

"We did all we could do," he said, taking off the scrub shirt. The blood must have been more intense than I thought- it had soaked through onto his lucky Cubbies t-shirt. He looked down. "Aw, damnit."

I stood up and hugged him.

"I'm proud of you," I said.

"We all are," Carlisle said.

"Why don't you all go home? Dr. Carter will look after him through the morning," Edward said. "There's nothing more we can do and Bethany's going to stay until Heath wakes up."

I went with Edward back to his office and the locker room while he picked up a few things. I was too exhausted for office sex or discussion. We walked together back to the parking garage, holding hands.

It all didn't seem real to me. Heath had a chance to live and I had won my first case- a huge case. Our apartment was ours again, too.

Edward's Volvo was parked in the staff level of the parking garage. I climbed into the passenger seat, taking his hand as he shifted gears. Edward lifted my hand to kiss it. Heath was getting the treatment his body needed. Whether he lived or not was still up in the air and no longer up to me.

We drove past the beautiful candlelight vigil that was breaking up. I exhaled a sigh of relief when they didn't even see me. The city seemed eerily still for being so early in the morning, but such a miracle had just occurred. My mind was still processing it all. We had changed- saved a life today.

I hardly saw it when the car in the oncoming lane made a left-turn into our car.

* * *

"We're fine," Edward insisted. The sun was rising and shining through Seattle's buildings. "I just got out of surgery, my girlfriend and I were just going home, all we need is to get to our own bed and to get a good eight hours of sleep and a meal, and we'll be just fine."

"No, you should definitely get checked out at the hospital," the cop said. "That was a nasty crash."

I looked at Edward's car. It was a twisted, mangled heap of metal and cracked glass. Luckily, he wasn't at fault. The car that hit us ran a red light.

"I really think you should go," the cop said.

"No, really, I'm fine," Edward said.

"No, Edward. Let's get checked out," I said. I knew that most of the injuries would show up in a few days to the next few years. "The doctor makes the worst patient."

"Very funny," Edward grumbled.

Carlisle showed up and took us back to the hospital. "What luck, huh?" he asked.

"I knew something really terrible was about to happen. Things were going too well," I said.

"Murphy's Law," Carlisle said.

"I thought that was Isabella's Law," I joked, getting out of Carlisle's Mercedes. We checked into the ER, which was basically empty at this hour. They worried more about Edward than me because he had been on the impact side. They put him through X-rays, while he complained that nothing was wrong.

"So, Miss Swan, I've heard about your case," the ER physician said. "You made a real strike for the little guy, figuratively speaking."

"Thanks," I said, sitting on the examining table.

"Alright, you indicated you've got a little tension in your neck. When was your last period?"

I thought for a moment. "Thanksgiving," I said. I had been under so much stress, no wonder I had missed a period. She asked a few more questions. I knew the drill- I had been in the ER plenty of times being the klutz I was, growing up.

"Any nausea, dizziness, or shortness of breath?"

"Like since the accident? Just a little shock."

"No, like since your last period."

"Oh yeah, tons. Going up against a big evil corporation like Mojave Insurance and Volturi Investment Group, I was scared out of my mind."

"Are you sure it wasn't anything asides from that?"

"Uh… I don't know. That's a normal response, right?"

"I'd like to do a full physical on you."

"Yeah, I haven't had one in forever," I admitted. She put me through the entire uncomfortable physical. I waited, feeling even more tense in my neck and shoulders, but didn't put me through any X-rays. She came back in after a few tests and a lot of questions.

"Well, you might want to consider chiropractic," she said. "You're going to be stiff for the next few days, but that will go away. I also found out something else interesting. You're pregnant."

"Wha- I'm sorry?" I cried. "I can't be pregnant!"

"You're just two months," she said.

"But, I've been on the shot!" I cried. "Every three months, religiously!"

"It doesn't work one hundred per cent of the time. The only birth control that does is abstinence. Do you know who the father is?"

"Damn straight," I sputtered. "He's here in the ER with me. Are you sure I'm pregnant?"

"I'm pretty sure. I've got resources if you need them- I can send the nurse in with them- and I can refer you to some social workers who can help you-"

"I don't need a social worker!" I cried, a little hysterically. "I- I can make this decision with the father."

"Alright then. I'll have your paperwork to leave started and sent in by the nurse. Have a good rest of the morning."

Edward and Carlisle were in the waiting room arguing about if the Volvo was going to get totaled out. Carlisle insisted it would be, Edward insisted that with enough work, it could be saved. "I'm fine," I said, although I wasn't really. "Let's go home. Edward, sit in the backseat with me."

I opened up my Blackberry and shakily typed a message for Edward to see, but I couldn't get through it without laughter and tears coming down my face at the same time, although I was trying to stop them. The phrase took Edward's breath away._ The ER said I'm pregnant._ "Are you sure?" he whispered.

I nodded, gasping, smiling and tears running down my cheeks. He started laughing hysterically, too.

"What's going on?" Carlisle asked.

"The shock," Edward said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "We're fine." He was shaking, too.

I tried to stay still while on the road home. All sorts of scenarios were running through my head- how was I going to have a baby? Of course, I knew how it happened and what was going to happen. But Edward and me? _Parents? _We worked more than any ten people, we hardly had any free time to speak of, how were we going to raise a baby unless one of us gave up our career?

We walked in a daze to the apartment as the first milky-white rays of winter sun peeked over the sky. "Hope you two feel better after a good night's sleep," Carlisle said. "After scaring the hell out of me. Good night. Or, _Good Morning_."

We went to our room and I changed out of my Donna Karan suit. I almost didn't put on my own pajamas I was so confused, I almost put on Edward's trousers. "What do we do?" I cried.

"We figure out how to tell our parents, first," he said. "They're going to be the toughest ones to explain it to. Everybody else is going to be just fine with it."

"I feel dizzy." He guided me to the bed and helped me in.

"Bella, we're going to keep it, right?" Edward asked. "We'll raise it together?"

I nodded. "There's so much to think about!"

"I know. Come on," he said, pulling the covers over me. He pulled the blinds to block out the light. "We'll be able to think more clearly about this after we've slept for a few hours You know I love you."

"I love you, too," I said.

* * *

I got a call from Charlie the next afternoon. "I'm just happy you came to see my first case," I said after we talked about everything but the pregnancy. I just couldn't tell him yet. "I gotta call Mom."

"Tell her I said hi," he said.

"I will."

"Will you think about getting your own place, now?"

"I've got a lot to think about right now, Dad." My cell phone went off- it was Jessica. "I gotta take this."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

I answered my phone. "Bella Swan."

"Hi Bella," Jessica said. "You're never going to believe this, but Aro Volturi was arrested at the international gate of LAX trying to leave the country with a fake passport. The flight attendant recognized him from the cover of _the New York Times_!"

"What?"

"Marcus hanged himself last night, too. They don't want to come through with the money," she said. "It looks like Caius Volturi is the only one that hasn't run off or tried to avoid the debts. He's filing an appeal, but we both know it's not going to go anywhere even if they can hold up the awards money for a year with it."

"A part of me was expecting all this," I said. "The debts are on their hands, now."

"Has Edward heard anything from the hospital about Heath, yet?"

"No," I said. "I guess no news is good news. We're going to go down there and check in on him."

"Well, call me and let me know," she said.

"I will," I said. Edward and I took my truck to the hospital. My neck was still bothering me. "We're facing having a baby."

"I know," he said, trying to handle the gas pedal. My truck just didn't accelerate like his Volvo and it was frustrating to him. "I'm not scared, though. Having a baby with you is… We're going to be okay. We love each other, we're in a committed relationship. The only thing I'm scared of is telling our parents."

I heard a nervous laugh escape my lips. "Me too," I said. "My dad's going to kill me."

"Kill _you_?" he cried. "He's the police chief of a small town! If he shot me in Forks, he could probably get away with it. I bet he's got buddies in the Seattle PD who'd turn a blind eye, too, if he came here."

"We'll tell him over the phone."

"Not now, though."

"I know. Let's see how long we can ride this out."

"He's a good dad, though."

"Renée's probably going to cry," I said, imagining how upset my mother would be. Knowing her, she had been planning my white wedding since she found out she was having a girl, before I was even born. A baby did not fit into a perfect wedding scenario.

"So will Esme," Edward said. "I'll probably get a giant lecture from Carlisle. You will too, about we're successful young professionals and this isn't something successful young professionals do, they plan out babies and families for long term relationships and babies are a huge responsibility to bring into this world and blah blah blah..."

By now we were in the parking garage. There was a giant group of paparazzi and press down on the street, waiting for a glimpse of Edward, Bethany, Jasper, Emmett or me. Emmett had given the press a statement around dawn about Heath's condition. After we got out, we crossed over to the cardiology ward and checked in on Heath. He had been moved by the senior cardiology physician's orders, since he was doing better. We weren't sure the heart would be accepted by his body, but time would tell.

Heath's eyes opened groggily as we entered. He moaned softly. "Everything hurts," he whispered.

"We cracked your chest open, buddy," Edward said. "It's going to hurt."

"It hurts to talk," Heath muttered.

"I know," Edward said.

"We won the case," I said. "You'll always be taken care of."

"That's good," Heath whispered. "How long was I out?"

"About a month," Edward said. "You'll have to go through rehab, your body's very weak."

"I want pizza," Heath said. Edward and I both chuckled.

"We'll take you to Chuck E. Cheese's after you get out, my treat," I said.

I read _Treasure Island_ to Heath for a few minutes until he fell asleep. When we were sure he was asleep, Edward went to his office to check on the other kids under his watch. I waited outside Heath's room. The nurses came by with a soft drink and offered me a bag of Chex mix. I declined but they kept on bothering me until I accepted something. I had to remember that pregnant women were supposed to avoid caffeine and was it brussel sprouts or what kind of sprout? I couldn't remember. And alcohol, but I hadn't really had anything to drink since I passed the bar. I had so many questions about pregnancy, let alone, motherhood. I was so scared. Wow.

Edward stopped by the waiting room. "Come on, let's go to dinner somewhere," he said.

We avoided the press again as we crossed over the street to the parking garage. He took my hand. I couldn't believe how happy I was at this very second. "We're going to need a nursery. And a room or two for your parents to stay," he said.

"You're right! You're right! We'll get a house?"

"Are four bedrooms going to be enough?"

"For a starter home, that's plenty," I said. "That's bigger than my parents' first house!"

"You know Alice and Mom are going to want to decorate."

"Oh, I know!" I cried. He let me into the truck. "My credit's a wreck, though."

"We'll buy it under my name then put your name on the mortgage after we straighten out that crap the Volturi brothers started," he said, getting into the driver's seat. "We need a new car, first. They'll probably total out my baby- my old baby." We laughed together. "We'll get a family-friendly SUV if your truck holds out this long."

"Am I going to have to get a mini-van?" I asked.

"Do you really want a soccer-mom mini-van?"

"No," I admitted. "I love my truck."

I hugged my knees to my chest. How much longer was I going to be able to do that? Not much.

"Why not an SUV?" Edward asked. "You can't put a car seat in the front seat of a car. Any car. We'll pay cash for our new cars so we can buy the house to improve your credit."

"Alright," I agreed. He kissed my temple again. "I love you."

* * *

As we expected, Renée and Charlie both got extremely upset. We got "I'm too young to be a grandmother!" and "I knew it was a bad idea when you moved in with him! See? This is what happens, Bells!"

Carlisle and Esme had their own freak-out. "How could you do this to yourselves? This should be your shining moment!" Carlisle yelled. And "And you're ruining it by having a baby out of wedlock!"

"It's not born, yet," Edward said.

Esme cried for a moment, but then she hugged us both and started tearfully planning our nursery. "Alice is going to help us! She'll know exactly what to do when you find out what you're having- a boy or a girl. At least little Mattie Rose is going to have a cousin to play with, now!"

"Are you going to get married now or after the baby's born?" Carlisle asked.

"We haven't talked about marriage yet," I said.

I saw both of them gulp visibly. "Whatever you want," Carlisle said. I could almost hear him thinking, _It's your life. But, I'm going to have an illegitimate grandchild._

I know Edward could hear it, too and was thinking _Sorry, Dad._

"It's all going to work out," Edward said, patting my leg.

We broke the news to Edward's siblings in the waiting room and after the shock wore off Alice started telling me about how baby clothes were so fun to shop for. Rosalie was in tears- I thought at first it was anger, but she began to bawl about how great it was going to be that Mattie Rose was going to have a cousin her own age. I couldn't read Emmett for a few minutes.

"We're going to buy a house," Edward said. "So our baby can have a nursery and we can have a guest bedroom."

"You're getting married, right?" Emmett asked. "Right?"

"We're... thinking about it," Edward said. "We're trying to leave some options open."

"You gotta get married! Everything's perfect right now!" Emmett cried, his chin trembling.

"No, no," Jasper said. "They can do what they want. Marriage is a huge step."

"Hi, everyone," Bethany said, entering the room. "Bella, Edward, I hope you're alright after that accident! Wait, Emmett, Rosalie, what's wrong?"

Emmett glanced at us.

"After the accident last night, Bella found out... she's pregnant," Edward said.

Bethany burst into tears. "That's great! Congratulations! Heath's going to be so happy for you!" She hugged me and then Edward. "I'm going to go tell him right now!"

"This is almost too much," I said quietly to Edward.

"Everyone's so over-excited right now," he said. "We have to worry about your health care right now."

"Get married!" Emmett shouted. "That'll do it!"

"You just want to be best man," Edward replied. Everyone laughed.


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks to my new beta, cekh1908!**

* * *

I woke up to Edward holding our baby. I could see the weak milk substance coming through my top through my nipples. "Hi," I said.

"Is this a perfect moment or what?" he whispered. "She's beautiful. Perfect. Wow. How did we do this?"

"I know," I said. "Ten fingers, ten toes. I know, I counted."

I had refused to go home on FMLA until I went into labor. I broke my water when I got the call that Alice and Rosalie were waiting for me for lunch. I stood up and it felt like I had wet myself. I called Jessica and she ran me out of her office and the four of us ran to the hospital. That was about a day ago. I wasn't in too much pain until the last two hours, but I had skipped out on an epidural and later regretted it. The first time I saw my daughter, though, it was all worth it. My vagina was still healing from labor and felt really, really sore still.

I gingerly picked up my phone and text messaged Alice. She had long since quit her job as a personal shopper and was trying to get pregnant now, too.

Edward handed little Carly Elizabeth to me. I undid my top to nurse the baby again. "I don't regret a single thing we've done, here," Edward said. "Look, I think she's got your brown hair."

"I hope she has your eyes," I said as she nursed.

"I've been waiting on that text message," Alice said, coming through the door right as I was about to tie my hospital robe back on. "When do I get to start planning your wedding?"

"I'm done losing the baby weight," I said.

"You just got to decorate a nursery in a new house," Edward said, picking up my sleeping baby.

"Let me hold her!" Alice demanded.

"Where's Jasper?" Edward said, carefully handing over Carly. "Careful- support her head!" Carly woke up and began wiggling.

"He's parking the car- shhh, shhh," Alice cooed. She began to cover the baby with kisses.

"Don't get germs all over my baby!" Edward cried.

"I'm healthy! And you're getting her vaccinated, aren't you?" Alice asked.

"There she is!" Jasper cried, walking through the door. He had a personal DVD player and a box of Audrey Hepburn movies in his arms. "Here- until they release you, Bella. It comes with headphones, too, so you don't wake her up."

"Aw, thank you, Jasper!" I cried.

"Let me hold her," Jasper said.

"Hey, I just got her!" Alice pouted.

"Hand her over, Midget," he said. Alice complied, glowering. "Hi, beautiful."

"This is your Uncle Jazz," Alice said.

"Uncle Jasper," Jasper corrected. "She's so pretty."

"Yeah, we do good work," Edward said, proudly.

"Ew, I don't want to hear that!" Alice cried.

"We'll do better, hon," Jasper said.

"I'm so sure," I replied. Nobody could be a beautiful as my baby.

"I'm giving you three months to lose enough weight, and then you're getting fitted for a wedding dress," Alice informed me.

"Hi," a new voice said. "Can I see the baby?"

"Heath!" I cried. He had had enough therapy to be able to walk short distances without overtaxing his new heart. So far, his body hadn't rejected the transplant. His face was full and his coloring good, now. He wasn't anything like the child that had been operated on seven months ago. Bethany followed him inside. She looked younger and fresher than I had ever seen her. The money had just come through- they had a little house in Tacoma, and she was finishing her high school diploma part-time, and was going to become a social worker for children in medicine. "She's not getting a lot of sleep right now, we're playing pass the baby. You can hold her if you sit down."

"Yeah!" he cried. He sat down on the chair and Jasper handed him the baby.

"Support her head."

"Got it."

"What's her name?" Bethany asked.

"Carly Elizabeth," Edward said. "It's a combination of both our father's names. And my birth mother's name."

Heath tried to rock her, but it made her cry. "Let Momma hold her," Bethany said, picking Carly up.

"Have Mom and Dad been by to see her, yet?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah," I said. "They loved her. Esme's coming over tonight to get some pictures of her before they release us."

"Heath, why don't you give Bella the present, now?" Bethany asked.

"Here," Heath said, giving me a giant sack filled with tissue paper.

"Thank you," I said.

"You haven't even opened it, yet," Heath said.

"But I already got a present from you at my baby shower," I said. I pulled out the tissue paper to find a pink crochet baby blanket out of the softest yarn I had ever felt. "It's beautiful!" I cried, pulling it out. "Edward, feel this! Where'd you get this?"

"I made it during Heath's PT," Bethany admitted.

"I love it!" I cried. Edward's fingers entwined in it, too.

"I just want to bury my face in it," he said. "I thought this was professional, Bethany! Let's wrap her up in it and see how she likes it." He spread it over my chest and she set the baby in my arms. I wrapped Carly up in it and she started to relax.

"Where's our beautiful niece?"

"Not nearly as beautiful as our Mattie," Emmett said, coming through the door.

"Shh," I said. Rosalie was still in her scrubs.

"Hey Bethany, hey Heath."

"Hey, Emmett!" Heath cried.

"She looks better than she did in the picture I got this morning," Rosalie said. "This is a beautiful blanket." Bethany beamed. "When do I get to hold her?"

"Right now," I said, holding her up.

"Thanks," Rosalie said, picking up Carly, walking her around the already crowded recovery room.

"Do we have enough people in this recovery room?" the nurse asked. "We're sending you home early, Ms Swan."

"That'll be so nice," I said, breathing a sigh of relief. One night in the hospital was so annoying. They didn't let me sleep through two hours. "Sleeping in my own bed."

"I'll take good care of her," Edward assured her.

"Well, here are your papers," the nurse said. "Sign here, here, and here."

"Thanks," I said, signing away. "Edward, call your parents- and Charlie, too."

"I'm on it," Edward said, standing up where his phone got reception near the window.

"I think sheath dresses would flatter your figure the most," Alice said.

"I'm too lumpy right now for that," I said.

"Keep on nursing and eat nothing but lean protein and vegetables," Rosalie said. "You'll be able to wear any kind of dress you want… except a ballgown. Ballgowns are sooo hard to wear unless you're tall."

"Yeah, _you_ wouldn't know anything about that," Alice grumbled.

Everyone chuckled. "I want some caffeine tomorrow morning at breakfast," I said. "Rosalie, I never thanked you for the breast pump. That's going to be so useful when I go back to work. And at the wedding."

"Don't mention it," she said.

"Mom and Dad are going to pick us up," Edward said. "They want to take us home. Your Dad says he's going to start the drive up after work so he can come up and see her."

"The best part of getting married is the wedding registry," Alice said.

"Hey, Dr. Edward?" Heath asked. "Can I be your ring-bearer?"

"Heath!" Bethany cried, embarrassed.

"I'll do you one better," Edward said. "You can be one of my groomsmen, little man."

"Alright!" Heath cried.

* * *

I was dressed and wheeled out to the exit of the hospital while Rosalie held Carly We passed the information desk and they left me out front, where Esme's car was waiting. "There's our Carly," Esme sang. "Let's get one picture of Bella holding Carly in the wheelchair before we get into the car."

"You always were one for nostalgia, dear," Carlisle said. Rosalie set Carly in fr5y arms.

I let Esme take a picture of me, despite the fact that I was thirty pounds overweight according to the scale in my bathroom the morning I gave birth. "One with Edward," Esme said. Edward kneeled down next to me, and she took a picture of him kissing the top of Carly's head. "I'm sending that one to Renée!" she cried. "She'll love it!"

"I'm going to put her in her car seat," I said, standing up with Edward's help.

"I want a picture with my granddaughter," Carlisle said.

"Excuse me!" Rosalie cried.

"My other granddaughter!"

We let Carlisle get his picture taken holding my baby before we put her in the car seat. Carly closed her eyes and yawned, starting to fall asleep as we all chattered and talked before getting into the car. My phone rang.

"I'm on the last ferry to Seattle," Charlie said. "I'm almost there."

"I'll be home when you get here," I said. "I can't wait for you to meet her, Dad."

"Good. Have you finally set a wedding date, yet?"

"Dad, I just gave birth!" I cried. "But Alice is giving me three months to lose the baby weight and she's making me go through a dress fitting."

"Dress fitting for what?"

"A wedding dress, Dad!"

"Oh. Well, at least Alice has some sense," he said.

"Dad, I'm not listening to it."

"Alright Bells. This kid better be as good as you were or I'm going home."

"She is, she is."

"I'll be there in an hour or so."

"We'll have dinner," I promised. "Come hungry."

"I am, trust me."

"Who was that? Charlie?" Edward asked.

"Yeah," I said, yawning.

At our house, we had a giant lasagna from Jessica and Mike waiting in the oven. We waited for Charlie to show up in his police cruiser before digging in. While we were was waiting, the Rosalie and Emmett showed up with Mattie, Alice and Jasper came in.

"Hi, Mattie," I said. "Meet your cousin." She reached out as I held her over Carly.

"No touching, Mattie," Emmett said. He took her and sat her down on the floor. She was able to sit up, already.

Charlie's police car came up the driveway. "There's Charlie," I said, struggling to stand up. Alice helped me up. I went outside to see Charlie. "Hi Dad," I said.

"Hi Bells," he said. He was still a bit cranky with me about getting pregnant, always hinting at what a mistake it was. "So, where is this grandchild of mine?"

"She's inside, sleeping," I said. "She fell asleep in the car." I lead him inside and to the living room where Carly's car seat was. "Dad, this is Carly." I unstrapped her from her carseat and very carefully picked her up so she didn't wake up. "Alright, here she is."

I handed her over to Charlie, settling her into his arms. "This is Carly? She was named after me?"

"Yeah, even after all the things you've said to me after I got pregnant," I said. "About getting pregnant being a mistake outside marriage."

He looked at her for a long time, rocking her, patting her tummy, walking her around the room. "Oh, Bells," he said, rocking her softly, finally speaking. "I love you. This here… this is no mistake."


End file.
